SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn mission crew performed the world’s first commercial spacewalk on September 12, 2024. The historic spacewalk occurred during the crew’s third day in orbit and marked a major milestone in space exploration.
Commanded by American billionaire Jared Isaacman, the Polaris Dawn mission reached new heights in space history. Launched on September 10 atop a Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, the Crew Dragon Resilience spacecraft initially soared to an unprecedented altitude of 870 miles (1,400.7 kilometers) before descending to 458 miles (737 kilometers) for the spacewalk. This altitude surpassed the previous record held by NASA’s Gemini 11 mission from the Apollo era.
Isaacman, alongside SpaceX mission specialists Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon, executed the spacewalk, making use of newly designed EVA suits. The suits, described by SpaceX as “a suit of armor made of fabric,” are intended to be lightweight yet protective, with future iterations possibly playing a role in missions to Mars.
The spacewalk, which began at 6:12 a.m. EDT and lasted nearly two hours, was made possible by the specially engineered “Skywalker” hatch on the Dragon spacecraft. This innovation featured a ladder and handholds to facilitate astronaut movement outside the spacecraft.
During the mission, the crew also conducted 36 scientific experiments aimed at advancing human spaceflight. These studies include testing wearable biometric devices and researching the effects of radiation on the human body. NASA anticipates that data from Polaris Dawn will significantly contribute to planning future deep-space missions, including those to the Moon and Mars.
The Polaris Dawn mission will conclude with a return to Earth on September 16, when the Resilience capsule will splash down in the ocean and be recovered. This mission not only highlights the strides in private spaceflight but also sets the stage for future commercial and exploratory missions.
For more details on this historic event, visit https://www.space.com/spacex-polaris-dawn-first-private-spacewalk
