On 12 September 2024, two astronauts, billionaire Jared Isaacman and SpaceX engineer Sarah Gillis, completed the first private spacewalk outside a SpaceX capsule. This spacewalk was part of the Polaris Dawn mission, with Isaacman and Gillis spending about 10 minutes each outside the Crew Dragon capsule while tethered. The mission, streamed live by SpaceX, tested new spacesuits and procedures to depressurize the capsule, advancing private spaceflight technology for future Mars missions. The spacewalk lasted 1 hour and 46 minutes at an altitude of 450 miles above Earth.
Isaacman, who funded the mission, exited the capsule first, followed by Gillis, while their crewmates, Scott Poteet and Anna Menon, monitored from inside. The mission focused on testing spacesuit flexibility and movements, with the astronauts providing feedback to ground control. This mission marked a significant step for commercial space exploration.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson praised the success as a major advancement for the space industry. SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule, developed with NASA’s support, is the only U.S. vehicle that has consistently sent people to orbit since its first launch.
