In a groundbreaking feat, two private astronauts have made history by completing the first-ever commercial spacewalk. This monumental event marks the first time that civilian astronauts have stepped out into the vast expanse of space. As part of the Polaris Dawn mission, which launched on Tuesday, billionaire Jared Isaacman and SpaceX engineer Sarah Gillis spent approximately 30 minutes outside their SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.
Isaacman, followed by Gillis, made their historic exit from the Dragon at around 6:52 a.m. ET. The spacewalk took place at an exceptionally high altitude of 435 miles above the Earth’s surface. This altitude is significantly higher than previous commercial spaceflights, which have primarily focused on lower orbits or transporting passengers to the International Space Station. Notably, the Polaris Dawn mission is designed to spend a portion of its five-day duration at altitudes reaching up to 870 miles.
This ambitious mission will take the astronauts through parts of the Van Allen belt, which acts as a protective shield against harmful radiation from the sun. By venturing to these extraordinary heights, the Polaris Dawn mission will set a new record for the farthest distance traveled in a Crew Dragon, exceeding even the journeys undertaken by the Apollo program.
Despite the mission’s ambitious altitude goals, the spacewalk itself was conducted at a lower altitude to prioritize the safety of the astronauts from radiation exposure. The spacewalk, broadcast live by SpaceX, offered breathtaking views of Earth as seen from the Crew Dragon capsule. Isaacman aptly captured the awe-inspiring perspective during his historic step into space, saying, “Back at home we all have a lot of work to do, but from here Earth sure looks like a perfect world.”
During the spacewalk, the entire Crew Dragon was depressurized, requiring the two astronauts remaining inside the craft to wear spacesuits for oxygen and pressure regulation. This spacewalk served as a crucial test for a newly designed SpaceX spacesuit, which boasts a slimmer profile than previous models, enabling enhanced mobility and temperature control.
Beyond the historic spacewalk, the Polaris Dawn mission will undertake various research projects focused on human health in space. Sensors will meticulously monitor radiation exposure levels for each crew member, a critical factor in planning long-term missions to destinations such as the moon.
The groundbreaking achievement has been hailed as a major milestone in the advancement of private spaceflight, with NASA officials expressing their enthusiastic congratulations. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to express his admiration, stating, “Congratulations @PolarisProgram and @SpaceX on the first commercial spacewalk in history! Today’s success represents a giant leap forward for the commercial space industry and @NASA’s long-term goal to build a vibrant U.S. space economy.”
