CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. In a groundbreaking achievement, tech billionaire Jared Isaacman performed the first-ever private spacewalk on Thursday, venturing hundreds of miles above Earth in a daring mission typically reserved for professional astronauts.
Isaacman, founder and CEO of Shift4 Payments, partnered with SpaceX to test the company’s newly designed spacesuits during a five-day flight. This spacewalk marked a significant milestone in private space exploration, underscoring the growing role of commercial space ventures in pushing the boundaries of space travel.
“Back at home, we all have a lot of work to do. But from here, it sure looks like a perfect world,” Isaacman said as the spacecraft soared above the South Pacific. Cameras captured his silhouette framed by the vast expanse of blue Earth beneath him.
Unlike the typical spacewalks conducted by NASA astronauts, which often involve complex repairs on the sprawling International Space Station (ISS) and last up to eight hours, Isaacman’s mission was brief but significant. The hatch was open for less than two hours, and Isaacman remained attached to the capsule the entire time, flexing his arms and legs to test the durability and flexibility of the new spacesuit. His movements were monitored by SpaceX engineer Sarah Gillis, who followed Isaacman in stepping out of the spacecraft to perform similar tests.
“Today’s success represents a giant leap forward for the commercial space industry,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson posted on X (formerly Twitter) after the mission.
Isaacman’s crew, which included Gillis, Scott “Kidd” Poteet, a former Air Force Thunderbird pilot, and SpaceX engineer Anna Menon, launched from Florida on Tuesday, aiming to reach an orbit higher than any other space mission since NASA’s moon landings. Their initial orbit of 460 miles (740 kilometers) was later reduced for the spacewalk.
The mission, dubbed Polaris Dawn, is part of a larger program funded by Isaacman, who has committed to a series of privately financed spaceflights with SpaceX. This particular flight focused on testing new equipment and exploring the potential for future spacewalks during longer space missions, including trips to Mars.
Despite a few minor issues, such as manually opening the hatch and slight bulges in the hatch seal, the spacewalk was completed without incident.
Isaacman’s mission is seen as a pivotal moment in the advancement of commercial space travel, a rapidly growing industry that has already seen wealthy individuals pay millions of dollars for brief trips to experience weightlessness or stay aboard the ISS. However, spacewalking remains one of the riskiest activities in space exploration, making this successful private mission all the more remarkable.
With this achievement, Isaacman joins a select group of only 263 people from 12 countries who have conducted spacewalks. The first-ever spacewalk was performed by Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov in 1965, followed shortly by NASA astronaut Ed White.
As more private missions are planned, experts predict that the desire for spacewalk experiences will increase among affluent adventurers seeking the ultimate thrill.
The success of Polaris Dawn signals a bright future for private space exploration, with SpaceX continuing to lead the charge in the development of new technologies and capabilities for space travel.
