SpaceX has done it again! The Polaris Dawn crew has safely returned to Earth after spending five thrilling days in orbit. But this wasn’t just any mission—it featured the world’s *first-ever commercial spacewalk*, marking a huge milestone for private space exploration.
The Dragon capsule carrying the crew made a safe splashdown off the coast of Florida just after 3:37 AM local time. SpaceX, of course, captured the entire event live, sharing the exciting moment with fans across the globe. Shortly after touchdown, SpaceX posted, “Splashdown of Dragon confirmed! Welcome back to Earth.”
NASA, always quick to recognize monumental achievements, chimed in, calling this mission a “giant leap forward” for the commercial space industry. And they’re not wrong—this mission might have just reshaped the future of space exploration.
At the heart of this mission was Jared Isaacman, the billionaire entrepreneur who’s been pushing the boundaries of space travel. Isaacman, along with SpaceX employees Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon, and retired U.S. Air Force pilot Scott Poteet, went further into space than any humans have in over 50 years.
Isaacman and Gillis also became the first non-professional astronauts to perform a spacewalk. Spacewalks are no joke—they require the crew to depressurize the spacecraft and step out into the vacuum of space. Up until now, only government-funded space agency astronauts had ever attempted such a feat.
Broadcast live for the world to see, the spacewalk took place 435 miles above Earth, giving us some breathtaking views of our planet. Isaacman, ever the optimist, summed it up perfectly.
The spacewalk wasn’t just for show, though. It was made possible by cutting-edge astronaut suits that featured new technology designed to withstand the rigors of space. Unlike previous missions, the Dragon capsule doesn’t have an airlock, so the crew was fully exposed to the vacuum of space during the walk. That’s bravery on a whole new level!
Beyond the spacewalk, the Polaris Dawn crew was hard at work during their five days in orbit. They conducted over 40 scientific experiments, looking into everything from the impact of space travel on human health to testing new intersatellite laser communication systems using SpaceX’s Starlink network.
And here’s a fun tidbit: Sarah Gillis, who’s not just an astronaut but also a trained violinist, performed while in orbit. Her performance was beamed back to Earth via Starlink in a stunning demonstration of the satellite network’s potential.
The Polaris Dawn mission was packed with firsts. Not only did it achieve the first commercial spacewalk, but it also reached an altitude of 870 miles—higher than any human has flown since the Apollo missions in 1972. This makes it the highest flight by humans in over 50 years. Incredible, right?
And the mission is just the beginning. Polaris Dawn is the first of three planned missions under the Polaris Program, which is a partnership between Isaacman and SpaceX. One of these missions will even feature the first manned flight of SpaceX’s highly anticipated Starship, currently in development.
With Polaris Dawn, SpaceX and Jared Isaacman are showing the world what’s possible. This mission sets the stage for a future where commercial space exploration isn’t just a dream—it’s happening. The sky is no longer the boundary; it’s only the starting point.