Billionaire Jared Isaacman recently conducted the first civilian spacewalk as part of the SpaceX Polaris Dawn mission. The commander, along with senior engineer Sarah Gillis, exited the space capsule and performed various tasks while tethered. Isaacman demonstrated hand-free movements in the slimmed-down SpaceX suit, highlighting the differences between it and the NASA spacesuit.
The crew’s activities were monitored closely by ground operations, with the capsule door closing after the spacewalks were completed. Despite technicalities in naming the activity as an EVA rather than a spacewalk, the crew enjoyed the unique experience of being 550 km above Earth at speeds of 26,000 kph.
The moment Isaacman opened the hatch manually was tense, with the crew fully exposed to the elements of space. The capsule’s orbit, spinning around the globe, provided a breathtaking view of Africa as the crew completed their tasks. The live feeds of the spacewalk attracted viewers worldwide, sparking conversations about the advancements in space exploration and the challenges faced on Earth.
As Isaacman and Gillis returned to the capsule, the mission marked a significant milestone in civilian space travel. The SpaceX Polaris Dawn crew’s successful spacewalk showcased the possibilities for non-astronauts to venture into space and contribute to future missions. The crew’s experiences and observations from their unique vantage point in orbit will provide valuable insights for future space exploration endeavors.
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