SpaceX has made history by successfully completing the first private spacewalk, a groundbreaking feat in the world of space exploration. The Polaris Dawn crew, which includes mission commander Jared Isaacman, achieved this remarkable milestone at an altitude of 458 miles above Earth on Thursday, September 12.
During the extravehicular activity (EVA), Jared Isaacman was the first to exit the Dragon spacecraft, floating in the vast vacuum of space. Reflecting on the experience, Isaacman noted, “Back at home we all have a lot of work to do, but from here, Earth sure looks like a perfect world.”
Following Isaacman’s brief solo venture, mission specialist Sarah Gillis also exited the capsule to conduct the spacewalk. Both astronauts performed mobility tests, allowing SpaceX engineers to assess the capabilities of their new, innovative EVA spacesuits. The astronauts utilized the SpaceX Skywalker mobility platform to ensure safety and maintain their positions.
The spacewalk itself lasted approximately 20 minutes, although the entire preparation and process took around two hours. This ambitious mission, launched on September 10 from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A, is the first of three human spaceflights under the Polaris Program, funded by American billionaire Jared Isaacman.
The Dragon spacecraft had to be completely depressurized for the EVA, meaning the entire cabin and its occupants were exposed to the vacuum of space. Once the spacewalk was concluded, the repressurization process began, first increasing pressure with nitrogen before adding a mixture of oxygen, taking about 50 minutes.
This mission is a critical component in advancing space exploration, especially for the development of affordable and scalable EVA suits for future commercial missions. These suits are designed to endure the harsh conditions of space and are equipped with advanced features, such as a heads-up display, helmet camera, and innovative joint mobility architecture.
In preparation for the spacewalk, the crew underwent a rigorous pre-breathe protocol to avoid decompression sickness. This 45-hour process involved boosting cabin oxygen levels while gradually lowering air pressure to safely remove nitrogen from their bloodstreams.
Once the spacewalk concluded, all crew members reported feeling healthy and were ready to continue their five-day mission, which includes conducting 40 scientific experiments. The modified Dragon orbited Earth in an elliptical path, setting a record by reaching a maximum altitude of 1,400 km—further than any human since the Apollo missions.
The mission’s success marks an important step forward in private space exploration. According to NASA records, no private company has attempted a spacewalk before, making this achievement particularly notable. The insights gained from this mission will be invaluable for future missions, including potential trips to the moon and Mars aboard SpaceX’s Super Heavy-Starship rockets.
The Polaris Dawn mission is scheduled to return on its sixth day, with the Crew Dragon capsule performing deorbit burns to facilitate reentry and splashdown off the coast of Florida. The mission is yet another testament to SpaceX’s pioneering efforts to make space more accessible and to push the boundaries of human spaceflight.