First-Ever Private Spacewalk Propels Commercial Space Exploration Forward…
On Thursday, a billionaire and an engineer made history by completing the first private spacewalk outside a SpaceX capsule, a major milestone for commercial spaceflight. Wearing innovative spacesuits, they stepped outside the Crew Dragon capsule—previously the domain of government astronauts, according to Reuters.
The spacewalk took place during the Polaris Dawn mission. Jared Isaacman, a pilot and founder of Shift4, led the way, followed by SpaceX engineer Sarah Gillis. Both were tethered to the capsule and spent around 10 minutes each outside, while crewmates Scott Poteet and Anna Menon monitored from within. The entire spacewalk lasted nearly two hours as the crew orbited Earth at an altitude of 730 km, after launching from Florida earlier in the week.
Isaacman, who financed the mission (as with his 2021 Inspiration4 flight), and Gillis tested the new spacesuits and capsule depressurization procedures. Their limited movement in the suits suggested areas for future refinement. This mission’s goal is to improve technology for private missions to Mars, aligning with Elon Musk’s vision for SpaceX.
After the spacewalk, Isaacman shared his awe at Earth’s beauty from space, despite the challenges on the ground. The mission was one of SpaceX’s most complex, with the cabin fully depressurized, meaning the astronauts relied solely on their spacesuits for oxygen.
The event was streamed live on SpaceX’s website, showcasing advancements in private space exploration. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson hailed it as a key step forward for both the commercial space sector and NASA’s vision of a flourishing space economy.
Although the Polaris mission’s exact cost is unknown, seats on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon typically run at $55 million each. The crew trained for over two years to prepare for the demanding spacewalks and mission operations.
This mission set a new standard for private space exploration, as spacewalks have traditionally been reserved for government astronauts. SpaceX continues to build on its success, having launched and safely returned astronauts for NASA in previous missions.
Crew Dragon, currently the only U.S. spacecraft capable of carrying astronauts to and from space, has completed over a dozen missions. It was developed alongside Boeing’s Starliner, which faced setbacks in its most recent tests, solidifying Crew Dragon’s role in NASA’s push for commercial space travel.
