A group of private civilians just made history by completing their first spacewalk during SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn mission. The crew, made up of four passengers, spent about an hour outside in space, a huge moment for private space exploration. Now that the spacewalk is over, the team is preparing to return to Earth. They are on board their spacecraft and will soon begin the journey home. The plan is for them to land safely with a splashdown, which means the spacecraft will fall into the ocean.
Congratulations @SpaceX Dragon team, @rookisaacman and the crew of @PolarisProgram! https://t.co/gOr0lEW24B
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 12, 2024
The landing is expected to happen near the Gulf of Mexico this Saturday. It’s an exciting step in space travel, showing how far technology has come and how regular people may have more opportunities to experience space in the future. As Jared Isaacman, the billionaire mission commander, opened the hatch and prepared to step outside, the moment became truly special.
He was about to share the first view of Earth from outside the spacecraft. Back on Earth, the SpaceX crew couldn’t contain their excitement—they erupted into cheers as they saw the incredible sight transmitted from space.
Isaacman, who had trained thoroughly for this, started moving his arms and legs, going through a series of motions he had memorized in advance. These movements were important because they were meant to test how easily someone could move in the zero-gravity conditions of outer space. This kind of testing is crucial for understanding how humans can function outside of a spacecraft, and Isaacman’s calm and steady approach made it clear that the mission was in good hands.
Commander @rookisaacman conducting suit mobility tests while Dragon flies between Australia and Antarctica pic.twitter.com/yj3vFOTNzQ
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) September 12, 2024
Before stepping outside for the spacewalk, the crew went through a crucial process called “pre-breathing.” This involves slowly changing the pressure inside the capsule to help their bodies adjust to the extreme conditions of space. It helps reduce the risk of decompression sickness, which can happen when moving from one pressure environment to another.
SpaceX and the Polaris Dawn crew have completed the first commercial spacewalk!
— Polaris (@PolarisProgram) September 12, 2024
“SpaceX, back at home we all have a lot of work to do, but from here, Earth sure looks like a perfect world.” — Mission Commander @rookisaacman during Dragon egress and seeing our planet from ~738 km pic.twitter.com/lRczSv5i4k
At the time the hatch was opened, the spacecraft was flying in an elliptical orbit, around 736 kilometers (457 miles) above Earth’s surface. Even more incredible was the fact that the spacecraft was speeding through space at over 25,000 kilometers per hour (about 15,500 miles per hour). Despite this unbelievable speed, everything went according to plan, and the crew handled the conditions like true professionals.
Dragon hatch is open and the cabin is now at vacuum (zero) pressure
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 12, 2024
https://t.co/Dbwfjw2gBZ
The team carefully went through a process known as “pre-breathe,” which is a key safety measure. This step is meant to remove nitrogen from their blood to avoid a dangerous condition where nitrogen gas forms bubbles in the bloodstream. This condition, known as decompression sickness or “the bends,” can be life-threatening, especially in the vacuum of space.
After the pre-breath process was complete, Jared Isaacman was the first to exit the capsule, stepping out just before 7 a.m. ET. His calm and calculated actions marked the beginning of a historic moment as he ventured into outer space, leading the crew in this groundbreaking civilian spacewalk.
“SpaceX, back at home we all have a lot of work to do, but from here, Earth sure looks like a perfect world.”
— Tesla Owners Silicon Valley (@teslaownersSV) September 12, 2024
Mission Commander @rookisaacman
Congratulations @SpaceX @PolarisProgram for completing the first spacewalk in over half a century pic.twitter.com/rRsJmQGo9T
The SpaceX Polaris program has a big, bold vision: to help develop the technology that will eventually make space travel to other planets possible, especially Mars. This mission is a stepping stone toward that long-term dream of establishing human settlements on other worlds. By testing and refining their technology, SpaceX is working to make this future a reality.
First ever spacewalk: March 18, 1965
— DogeDesigner (@cb_doge) September 12, 2024
First ever commercial space walk: September 12, 2024
SpaceX has officially made history with the first-ever commercial spacewalk! @elonmusk pic.twitter.com/qN2ardoAva
One of the main objectives of this SpaceX spacewalk was to test the new Extravehicular Activity (EVA) astronaut suits. These suits were designed and developed over two years specifically for this mission. They are essential for future space travel, as they protect astronauts while they are outside their spacecraft, exposed to the harsh conditions of space. Testing these suits in a real-life scenario was risky but crucial to ensure they work as expected for future missions beyond Earth.
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