The dawn of commercial space exploration has witnessed its first major milestone as the Polaris Dawn mission, backed by billionaire Jared Isaacman, concluded with its crew's splashdown after achieving the historic first private spacewalk. The SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico near Florida’s Dry Tortugas shortly after 3:37 am local time on September 15, 2024, marking the return of the team following their impressive five-day orbital adventure.
The crew, which included Issacman, SpaceX engineers Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon, and retired Air Force pilot Scott Poteet, traveled farther from Earth than any humans have done since NASA’s Apollo missions, reaching altitudes of up to 875 miles (1,408 kilometers). This mission not only set new records for private space exploration but also showcased the potential for non-professional astronauts to engage in spacewalks, traditionally the domain of trained astronauts.
Elon Musk’s SpaceX celebrated this achievement on social media platform X, proclaiming, “Splashdown of Dragon confirmed! Welcome back to Earth!” The celebratory tone of the mission was palpable, as the crew emerged from the capsule expressing joy and excitement after their historic outing.
On September 12, during their mission, Isaacman and Gillis performed the first-ever private spacewalk, conducted at nearly 460 miles above the Earth—higher than both the International Space Station (ISS) and the Hubble Space Telescope. This marked Isaacman as the 264th person to perform such an activity, with Gillis following closely to become the 265th. Prior to this mission, spacewalks had been reserved for professional astronauts.
“We are mission complete,” Isaacman radiantly reported as their capsule floated on the water, awaiting recovery.
The mission was not just about the spacewalk; it included around 40 scientific experiments aimed at exploring the effects of space travel on human health, testing components necessary for long-duration missions to Mars. Researchers sought to understand how microgravity and radiation impact the human body, knowledge deemed necessary for the future of commercial and interplanetary travel.
Diving back to the technical aspects of the mission, the SpaceX crew utilized advanced spacesuit technology during their spacewalk to facilitate their groundbreaking endeavors. The brief spacewalk saw Isaacman and Gillis exit the capsule, performing mobility tests on these newly minted suits. It was also noted during the mission planning phases, where Isaacman speculated on the prospect of future astronauts exploring Mars donning versions of these very suits.
“From here, it looks like a perfect world,” Isaacman quipped, reflecting on the experience of being so far removed from Earth’s typical environment during their spacewalk.
Not to be overlooked, the mission was also streamed live, allowing millions to witness this significant leap for commercial space endeavors and fostering public interest and support for private space exploration.
Previously, SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn mission had stimulated anticipation among space enthusiasts and experts alike, particularly for how it represented a stepping stone toward future endeavors involving habitats beyond Earth. The crew launched from Kennedy Space Center on September 10, after successful unified efforts to address technical setbacks, including adverse weather forecasts and equipment issues.
The mission coordinator noted the successful execution of parachute deployment protocols, which aided the capsule's nice entry back to Earth, safely within the confines of its recovery vessel shortly after splashdown.
The Polaris Dawn mission also served as the inaugural venture of three associated missions, with the next flight aiming to conduct the first manned test of SpaceX's Starship spacecraft—a project targeted toward interplanetary transportation.
The increasing influence of private entities like SpaceX indicates broader trends shaping the future of space exploration. This mission could pave the way for commercial spacewalks to become routine, allowing for repairs or maintenance to satellites and other orbiting instruments based on the experiences and successes of the Polaris Dawn team.
SpaceX's growing portfolio of missions, alongside its ambitious objectives, continues to thrust the idea of human life beyond Earth from the pages of speculative science fiction to tangible reality. Following their splashdown, the Polaris crew will likely fuel discussions around the next steps necessary for long-term exploration and potential colonization beyond our planet.
The Polaris Dawn mission, heralded as the dawn of a new era of commercial spaceflight, showcases how rapidly advancing technology is democratizing access to space and reshaping the future of interstellar adventures, making the cosmos more accessible than ever before.
