Billionaire and Engineer Carry Out First Private Spacewalk in SpaceX Mission, Reports Reuters

Private Spacewalk Marks New Era in Commercial Spaceflight

Two astronauts, a billionaire and an engineer, achieved a historic milestone on Thursday by completing the world’s first private spacewalk in orbit outside a SpaceX capsule. They donned a new line of spacesuits and ventured into space in a daring feat that has traditionally been reserved for astronauts from national space agencies.

During the Polaris Dawn mission, each astronaut went out one at a time, spending approximately 10 minutes outside the Crew Dragon capsule, tethered for safety. This mission represents a pioneering advancement in commercial spaceflight as SpaceX continues to push the boundaries of private aerospace endeavors.

Jared Isaacman, a pilot and founder of an electronic payments company, was the first to exit the capsule, followed by SpaceX engineer Sarah Gillis. Their crewmates, Scott Poteet and Anna Menon, remained inside the spacecraft, monitoring the operation. The entire spacewalk lasted an hour and 46 minutes, taking place approximately 450 miles above Earth, following the crew’s launch from Florida on Tuesday.

Funding the Polaris mission, Isaacman has previously sponsored the Inspiration4 flight with SpaceX in 2021. The mission was streamed live, showcasing innovative technologies such as slim spacesuits and a procedure to fully depressurize the Crew Dragon cabin, as SpaceX aims to improve readiness for future private explorations, including potential missions to Mars.

Commenting on the stunning view from space, Isaacman remarked, "Back at home, we all have a lot of work to do. But from here, Earth sure looks like a perfect world."

This mission posed significant risks for SpaceX, the sole private company that has consistently demonstrated the capability to transport people to and from orbit. Prior to the spacewalk, the capsule was completely depressurized, enabling the astronauts to rely on their spacesuits for oxygen through an umbilical connection to the spacecraft.

Isaacman and Gillis emerged from the hatch to conduct tests on their suit’s mobility, providing feedback to ground control to inform future designs. Their movements appeared somewhat rigid; while they could maneuver their arms at the elbow and shoulder, motion was limited at the waist, back, and neck.

The Polaris mission aimed to explore the boundaries of what private companies can accomplish in orbit by testing new suit designs and procedures.

Ground teams at SpaceX closely monitored the operation as the capsule’s hatch sealed and conducted leak checks when the astronauts returned to their seats.

The procedures were reminiscent of the first U.S. spacewalk in 1965, which also used a depressurization method to venture outside a capsule.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson praised the accomplishment, stating, "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."

While Isaacman has kept the mission’s cost under wraps, it is estimated that his endeavors could reach hundreds of millions of dollars, considering that other Crew Dragon flights have priced seats around $55 million.

Gillis began her career at SpaceX as an intern in 2015, while Poteet is a former U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel, and Menon is a fellow SpaceX engineer.

Throughout Wednesday, the Crew Dragon orbited Earth at varying altitudes, the mission marking the farthest humans have traveled in space since the last Apollo mission to the moon in 1972.

Only government-trained astronauts have conducted spacewalks in the past, with around 270 occurring on the International Space Station (ISS) since its inception in 2000, along with 16 conducted by Chinese astronauts on the Tiangong space station.

The Polaris crew has engaged in extensive training involving SpaceX mission simulations and real-world scenarios designed to prepare them for the challenges of space travel.

In total, 19 astronauts are currently in orbit, following the transport of additional crew members to the ISS via a Russian mission. Since 2001, the Crew Dragon has facilitated more than a dozen astronaut missions, primarily for NASA, showcasing its reliability in human spaceflight.

The development of Crew Dragon is part of a broader effort to establish commercial and privately built U.S. vehicles capable of carrying astronauts to and from space. Alongside it, Boeing’s Starliner capsule recently launched its first astronauts to the ISS, though its return mission experienced complications, leading to a future Crew Dragon transport for its crew next year.