SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn astronauts conduct historic 'all-civilian' spacewalk

On Thursday, SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn mission made history by completing the first-ever spacewalk conducted solely by civilian astronauts.

The mission, which launched on Tuesday, featured billionaire Jared Isaacman aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Isaacman was joined by pilot Scott "Kidd" Poteet, mission specialist Sarah Gillis, and medical officer Anna Menon.

SpaceX announced on social media, “The Polaris Dawn spacewalk has been completed, marking the inaugural instance of commercial astronauts performing a spacewalk from a commercial spacecraft.”

“This spacewalk represents the first extravehicular activity (EVA) using hardware and procedures developed commercially, including the new SpaceX EVA suit,” the company added.

The astronauts prepared for the spacewalk by donning their suits after a 48-hour pre-breathe procedure. After a successful leak check, the hatch of the Dragon spacecraft was opened, allowing “the first time four humans were simultaneously exposed to the vacuum of space,” according to SpaceX.

Mission commander Isaacman and mission specialist Gillis alternated exiting the Dragon to evaluate the functionality of SpaceX’s EVA suit, which was operating with a full oxygen flow.

During the spacewalk, the Dragon spacecraft adjusted its position to ensure optimal temperature and communication conditions. Isaacman used SpaceX’s Skywalker mobility platform to secure himself while floating in space.

The astronauts were tethered to the spacecraft with a 12-foot tether that provided oxygen, communication lines, and a safety link. Isaacman completed the initial suit mobility tests, which included assessing hand control, vertical movement with Skywalker, and foot restraint.

Following Isaacman’s return to the spacecraft, Gillis conducted similar mobility tests during her turn outside.

The entire process, from cabin decompression to repressurization, took approximately two hours.

The Polaris Dawn mission reached an altitude of about 1,400.7 kilometers, the highest orbit achieved by a crewed spacecraft since NASA’s Gemini 11 mission in 1966, and the farthest humans have traveled from Earth since NASA's Apollo 17 mission in 1972.