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Astronauts for the SpaceX Polaris Dawn mission have completed the first commercial spacewalk — and have set another record in the process.
Mission commander and funder Jared Isaacman exited the Crew Dragon Resilience capsule at about 6:48AM Eastern, with SpaceX mission specialist Sarah Gillis following at 7:04AM. The two performed mobility checks and were in space until 7:58AM.
Isaacman commented upon leaving the capsule that there was “a lot of work to do” back on Earth, but “from here it looks like a perfect world.”
The Polaris Dawn spacewalk is now complete, marking the first time commercial astronauts have completed a spacewalk from a commercial spacecraft! Congratulations to @rookisaacman, @Gillis_SarahE, @KiddPoteet, @annawmenon, and to all the SpaceX teams!
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) September 12, 2024
The crew also included US Air Force Colonel Scott Poteet as pilot and SpaceX’s Anna Menon.
Before the historic spacewalk, Polaris Dawn also set a record for the highest-ever Earth orbit altitude at 870 miles. The previous record was set by NASA’s Gemini 11 mission in 1966, at 853 miles. The spacewalk took place at 458 miles.
Polaris Dawn is slated to splash down off the Florida coast about six days after liftoff.
The spaceflight was mostly meant to test multiple SpaceX systems. Notably, it tested a new EVA (extravehicular activity) spacesuit that’s lighter and more maneuverable than classic NASA suits while protecting astronauts from an unforgiving environment.
The crew also tested the modified Crew Dragon spacecraft’s new “Skywalker” hatch for spacewalks, and a space communication platform that connects to SpaceX Starlink broadband satellites through lasers. The laser hardware should make it easier to coordinate between vehicles, including satellites and spaceborne telescopes.
NASA is also playing a role while the crew is in orbit. The astronauts are conducting 36 science experiments from 31 different institutions, some of which will help NASA’s Human Research Program.
Isaacman has been a key driver of private crewed missions at SpaceX. Before Polaris Dawn, he paid for the 2021 Inspiration4 mission that featured exclusively private astronauts. Most Crew Dragon flights to date have carried at least some professional astronauts, and are frequently bound for the International Space Station to replace the platform’s team members.
Regardless of backing, the successful flight is crucial for SpaceX’s long-term plans. It ultimately hopes to use versions of the spacesuits for more orbital missions and, eventually, landing on celestial bodies as far as Mars. It still needs to complete Starship and will rely on NASA for aspects like the Lunar Gateway, but this represents an important step.
