Billionaire Jared Isaacman Completes Historic Private Spacewalk

American entrepreneur and billionaire Jared Isaacman has made history by becoming the first non-professional astronaut to conduct a spacewalk. This milestone occurred as part of the Polaris Dawn mission, which Isaacman bankrolled, launching him alongside three others into space aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft.

Jared Isaacman, 41, who is worth an estimated $1.9 billion, founded Shift4 Payments, a payment processing company, at the age of 16. His passion for flying began in 2004, and he has since set a world record for circumnavigating the globe in a light jet. Known for his adventurous spirit, Isaacman made his first foray into spacewalking on Thursday.

Following his own spacewalk, SpaceX engineer and Polaris Dawn mission specialist, Sarah Gillis, also partook in the event. Ms. Gillis is renowned for her unique transition from violinist to aerospace engineer. The team’s mission marks one of SpaceX’s most ambitious yet, testing a new line of spacesuits from a capsule without a safety airlock.

The Polaris Dawn mission is the first of three privately funded by Mr. Isaacman. The exact cost of these missions has not been disclosed, although each seat in the SpaceX Crew Dragon is valued at approximately $55 million. During the spacewalk, Mr. Isaacman expressed awe at the beauty of Earth and emphasized his desire for his children to witness humans exploring the moon and Mars.

The mission, which launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, includes a five-day journey also featuring Scott Poteet, a retired US Air Force lieutenant colonel, and SpaceX engineer Anna Menon. The mission was meticulously planned, with the crew undergoing extensive training over two-and-a-half years.