Historic Spacewalk Marks a Milestone for Private Space Exploration

A groundbreaking duo of astronauts has made history as the first private civilians to conduct a spacewalk, a significant achievement celebrated by NASA as “a giant leap forward” for the commercial space industry.

The SpaceX Polaris Dawn mission, led by fintech billionaire Jared Isaacman, launched early Tuesday from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This mission has taken humanity deeper into space than any mission since the Apollo program in the 1970s.

With the crew’s Dragon spacecraft orbiting at an altitude of 700 kilometers (434 miles), pure oxygen began flowing into their suits Thursday morning, signaling the official start of their “extravehicular activity” or spacewalk.

Shortly after, Isaacman opened the hatch and emerged, using handholds on a structure dubbed “Skywalker.” A stunning view of Earth greeted him. “It’s gorgeous,” he remarked to mission control in California, where teams celebrated each significant milestone.

Initially underestimated by the industry, SpaceX has since established itself as a leader, notably beating aerospace giant Boeing in 2020 to deliver a spacecraft for NASA astronaut missions to the International Space Station.

Before the hatch opening, the crew performed a “prebreathe” procedure to eliminate nitrogen from their bloodstreams, reducing the risk of decompression sickness. They then gradually lowered the cabin pressure to match the vacuum of space.

During the spacewalk, Isaacman and his crewmate, SpaceX engineer Sarah Gillis, conducted mobility tests using next-generation suits equipped with heads-up displays and helmet cameras, enhancing their maneuverability. They spent a few minutes testing the suits before returning to the spacecraft.

The spacewalk lasted one hour and 46 minutes, concluding with cabin re-pressurization. While this marked a significant achievement for the commercial sector, it did not reach the daring heights of early space exploration.

Pioneers like Soviet astronaut Alexei Leonov drifted away from their spacecraft tethered only by cables, while some Space Shuttle astronauts used jetpacks for untethered flights. Nevertheless, this event represents a major step forward for private space endeavors, showcasing the potential for commercial missions beyond Earth’s atmosphere.