September 12th 2024.
A billionaire, Jared Isaacman, has made history by embarking on the first private spacewalk in partnership with SpaceX. The daring mission took place hundreds of kilometers above Earth, as Isaacman and his crew waited until their capsule was depressurized before venturing out on Thursday. Isaacman, a tech entrepreneur, became part of a small elite group of spacewalkers, which had previously only included professional astronauts from a dozen countries.
As he emerged from the capsule, Isaacman marveled at the view, saying "From here, it sure looks like a perfect world." This commercial spacewalk was the main focus of the five-day flight, which was financed by Isaacman and Elon Musk's company. It was also the culmination of years of development aimed at eventually settling Mars and other planets. All four crew members wore SpaceX's new space suits to protect themselves from the harsh vacuum of space.
The crew launched from Florida on Tuesday, traveling farther from Earth than anyone since NASA's moonwalkers. However, for the spacewalk, they reduced their orbit by half, to 740 kilometers. The first spacewalking test was expected to last about two hours and involved more stretching than walking. Isaacman's plan was to keep a hand or foot attached to the craft at all times while testing out the new suit's capabilities. The hatch featured a walker-like structure for extra support.
After about 15 minutes outside, Isaacman was replaced by SpaceX engineer Sarah Gillis, who went through the same motions. Both astronauts had 3.6-meter tethers but had no intention of unfurling them or dangling at the end, unlike the spacewalks routinely performed by astronauts at the International Space Station at a much lower orbit.
With more and more wealthy individuals paying large sums for short trips to experience weightlessness, it's only a matter of time before some seek the thrill of spacewalking. While it is considered one of the most dangerous aspects of spaceflight, it is also the most awe-inspiring. This particular mission was meticulously planned and had little room for error, as the crew tested out new spacesuits from a spacecraft that had never been used for spacewalking before. The entire capsule was also exposed to the vacuum of space, adding to the risk.
Two crew members, former Air Force pilot Scott "Kidd" Poteet and SpaceX engineer Anna Menon, stayed inside the capsule to monitor the spacewalk. All four crew members underwent intensive training before the trip. Isaacman, who is the CEO and founder of Shift4 credit card-processing company, has not disclosed how much he invested in the flight. This was the first of three flights in a program he has named Polaris, with this particular mission being called Polaris Dawn. For SpaceX's first private flight in 2021, Isaacman took up contest winners and a cancer survivor.
Before Thursday, only 263 people from 12 countries had conducted a spacewalk. It all began in 1965 when the Soviet Union's Alexei Leonov took the first step, followed by NASA's Ed White a few months later. With the latest private spacewalk, Isaacman and his crew have joined a prestigious group of individuals who have ventured into the unknown and explored the vastness of space. To stay updated on all the latest news, celebrity gossip, and sports, follow our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm, and your private details are safe with us.
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