Four private astronauts have made history by returning to Earth after completing the Polaris Dawn mission, which took off on September 10, 2023. This five-day mission, marked by multiple firsts, aimed at advancing human spaceflight. The crew members—commander Jared Isaacman, pilot Scott "Kidd" Poteet, mission specialists Sarah Gillis, and Anna Menon—safely splashed down on SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft "Resilience" off the southern tip of Florida, around 3:37 AM EDT on Sunday, September 15.
Isaacman, who is also the mission's financier, signaled mission success by stating, "We are mission complete," just after the splashdown. This mission is part of three planned under the Polaris Program, all funded by him, as he seeks to push the envelope of what private space ventures can accomplish.
The significance of the Polaris Dawn mission is underscored by its record-breaking achievements, some of which had remained unchallenged for over five decades. For starters, the mission was unique because it included two SpaceX employees: Gillis and Menon, both of whom are lead space operations engineers. Gillis had previously overseen astronaut training, and Menon played a major role within mission control. This mission also marked Isaacman as the second private astronaut to launch twice aboard SpaceX’s Dragon, following his involvement with the Inspiration4 mission held two years prior.
One of the mission's crowning achievements was attaining the highest altitude ever reached by humans since Apollo missions, soaring to 875 miles (1,408 kilometers) above Earth—22 miles (35 kilometers) more than the record set by NASA’s Gemini 11 team back in 1966. This altitude not only showcased the capabilities of the Dragon spacecraft but also allowed SpaceX to collect valuable data on increased radiation levels and its effects on both the spacecraft systems and the astronauts' health, facilitating future crewed missions to the Moon and Mars.
During the second day of their mission, the Polaris Dawn astronauts contributed to another record—this time for the most people simultaneously orbiting Earth. Alongside their four-person team, there were three cosmonauts aboard the Russian Soyuz, three taikonauts stationed at China’s space station, and nine astronauts on the International Space Station, making it a total of 19 individuals operating off the planet.
On the mission's third day, they made headlines again when they became the first group to experience the vacuum of space simultaneously. This was accomplished when the Dragon spacecraft was depressurized to prepare for the first-ever commercial spacewalk. Isaacman and Gillis took turns exiting the spacecraft's hatch, conducting approximately 10 minutes of extravehicular activity (EVA) each, marking the 20th and 21st stand-up EVAS recorded.
Culmination to their remarkable efforts came with the first violin performance executed from space. Utilizing SpaceX’s Starlink satellite network, Gillis played “Rey’s Theme,” composed by John Williams, from the film Star Wars: The Force Awakens. This unique performance was then blended with various orchestral recordings to create the piece entitled “Harmony of Resilience.”
Adding to the light-hearted achievements, the crew also made culinary history by snacking on specially formulated Doritos, developed with the aid of Frito-Lay to prevent floating crumbs, which could interfere with spacecraft systems. This collaboration was part of efforts to raise funds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. More than $500,000 was raised, alongside the auctioning of different memorabilia and Kid's book “Kisses from Space,” which she read to pediatric cancer patients from orbit.
Not only did Polaris Dawn break records, but it also achieved several notable distinctions. It concluded with the southernmost splashdown recorded for any crewed spacecraft, landing off the coast of Dry Tortugas, Florida. Hence, Isaacman and his crew are now recognized as the 618th, 619th, and 620th individuals to orbit Earth, and 705th through 707th people to venture out to space—their mission reflecting SpaceX's 50th, 51st, and 52nd astronauts flying aboard Dragon, which has seen the spacecraft utilized multiple times before.
Resilience, which also participated in earlier missions, rounded off its duty with Polaris Dawn. This mission exemplifies the continuous dedication of private aerospace to innovate and stretch beyond traditional boundaries, hinting strongly at the future where private and commercial space exploration becomes increasingly commonplace. Significantly, Polaris Dawn not only celebrates achievements but offers invaluable learnings for forthcoming expeditions targeting the Moon and Mars, edging closer to the ambitious objectives of humanity’s return to deep space exploration.
