SpaceX’s Private Spacewalk Marks a Major Milestone in Space Exploration
A billionaire spacewalker, Jared Isaacman, and his crew returned to Earth on Sunday, bringing an end to a five-day trip that saw them reach unprecedented heights. In a historic moment, Isaacman and his team pulled off the first private spacewalk, orbiting 460 miles above Earth.
The Mission
The SpaceX capsule splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico near Florida’s Dry Tortugas, carrying Isaacman, two SpaceX engineers, and a former Air Force Thunderbird pilot. Their spacecraft hit a peak altitude of 875 miles, higher than the International Space Station and Hubble Space Telescope.
The First Private Spacewalk
During the spacewalk, Isaacman and SpaceX’s Sarah Gillis became the 264th and 265th people to perform a spacewalk since the first Soviet spacewalk in 1965. The hatch was open for barely half an hour, with Isaacman emerging only up to his waist to test SpaceX’s brand new spacesuit. Gillis, a classically trained violinist, also held a performance in orbit earlier in the week.
The Road to Mars
SpaceX considers this brief exercise a starting point to test spacesuit technology for future, longer missions to Mars. The company aims to one day send humans to the red planet, and this milestone marks a significant step towards achieving that goal.
The Cost
For the Polaris Dawn mission, Isaacman, the founder and CEO of the Shift4 credit card-processing company, shared the cost with SpaceX. He has personally financed two more flights under his space exploration program, with the goal of raising more than $250 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Conclusion
The historic private spacewalk marks a major milestone in space exploration, demonstrating the capabilities of private companies like SpaceX and paving the way for future missions to Mars and beyond.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How high did the spacecraft reach?
A: The spacecraft hit a peak altitude of 875 miles (1,408 kilometers) above Earth.
Q: How long did the spacewalk last?
A: The spacewalk lasted less than two hours, with most of that time needed to depressurize the capsule and restore cabin air.
Q: Who is Jared Isaacman?
A: Jared Isaacman is the founder and CEO of Shift4 credit card-processing company and a space enthusiast. He has personally financed his space exploration program, Polaris, with the goal of raising more than $250 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
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