Historic SpaceX Launch Marks First All-Civilian Spacewalk

A SpaceX rocket successfully lifted off early Tuesday morning, carrying four private astronauts on a mission that aims to achieve the first spacewalk conducted by an all-civilian crew. The launch took place from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the start of a significant venture in commercial space exploration.

The mission, known as Polaris Dawn, will allow Internet entrepreneur Jared Isaacman and SpaceX engineer Sarah Gillis to be the first private astronauts to venture outside their spacecraft while wearing newly designed spacesuits. The astronauts will experience breathtaking views of Earth that were previously reserved for professional astronauts on official missions.

Experts caution that the undertaking is fraught with potential hazards, particularly as this mission will utilize several untested components, including the spacesuits themselves. The mission will require adept skills and calm decision-making from the crew, particularly since three of the four astronauts have no prior spaceflight experience.

Bill Gerstenmaier, SpaceX’s vice president of build and flight reliability, acknowledged the risks of conducting a spacewalk but expressed confidence in the preparation that has been undertaken. He stated, “We’re going to do it as safely as we can with the right protocols in place.”

Pioneering commercial space travel, Polaris Dawn is positioned to take the crew to the highest altitude ever reached by humans since the last Apollo moon mission in 1972, soaring 870 miles above Earth’s surface—more than three times higher than the International Space Station.

The crew members, including Isaacman and Gillis, will don their SpaceX spacesuits before depressurizing their Dragon capsule. They will then conduct a spacewalk connected by umbilical cords that will supply them with oxygen, while the other two crew members, Scott Poteet and Anna Menon, remain inside the capsule.

Preparing for this mission has taken over two years, allowing for extensive training for the crew. Sian Proctor, who previously served as a pilot on Isaacman’s earlier mission, expressed her confidence in the Polaris Dawn team, highlighting their capabilities and readiness to embark on this historic endeavor.