On September 12, 2024, at 7:58 am EDT, a significant milestone in space exploration was reached when two members of the Polaris Dawn mission aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft Resilience completed the world’s first private spacewalk. The spacewalk, or Extravehicular Activity (EVA), lasted for 106 minutes at an altitude of 732 km (455 miles) above Earth. This event not only marked a major achievement for SpaceX but also signaled a shift in how space missions are conducted, breaking the historical government monopoly on such activities.
Since the first spacewalk by Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov in 1965, spacewalks have been routine operations, especially aboard the International Space Station (ISS). However, up until now, all EVAs were carried out by government astronauts using government spacecraft. The Polaris Dawn mission changed that narrative, marking the first time a fully private crew conducted a spacewalk using a privately chartered spacecraft.
The four-person Polaris Dawn crew, led by Mission Commander Jared Isaacman, also the founder and CEO of Shift4 Payments, included Mission Specialist Sarah Gillis, Mission Pilot Kidd Poteet, and Mission Specialist Anna Menon. For the spacewalk, Isaacman and Gillis donned specially designed EVA suits and stepped outside the capsule into the vastness of space, making history.
While the EVA suits used on this mission look similar to the standard emergency suits worn by SpaceX astronauts, they are designed with additional features. These upgraded suits offer more robust thermal protection and greater mobility, thanks to specially designed joints in the limbs. Additionally, the helmets are equipped with head-up displays (HUD) and cameras, allowing for enhanced visibility and communication during the spacewalk.
Watch Dragon’s first spacewalk with the @PolarisProgram’s Polaris Dawn crew https://t.co/svdJRkGN7K
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) September 12, 2024
Preparing for the spacewalk was no simple task. Much like deep-sea diving, where mixed-gas suits are required, spacewalking requires extensive preparation. A day before the spacewalk, the crew began by lowering the cabin pressure to half an atmosphere and increasing the oxygen concentration. This process helped purge nitrogen from their bloodstreams, preventing decompression sickness, or “the bends,” a serious condition that can occur when astronauts re-enter normal pressure conditions too quickly.
When it was time to begin the EVA, Isaacman and Gillis pressurized their suits and connected them to the capsule’s life support system through umbilical tubes, which supplied pure oxygen. A secondary loop provided cooling. After extensive checks, the nose of Resilience was turned toward the Sun, and Isaacman opened the motorized hatch, allowing the remaining air to escape from the capsule. Using hand and foot holds attached to the exterior of the spacecraft, Isaacman completed his task and returned inside, after which Gillis performed her part of the EVA.
Meanwhile, the other two crew members, Poteet and Menon, remained inside the spacecraft, monitoring the mission from their seats. A series of sensors on board the spacecraft tracked environmental conditions, ensuring the safety of the crew throughout the spacewalk.
Once the EVA was completed, the hatch was closed, and the cabin was repressurized to one atmosphere using a specially installed nitrogen system. This careful pressurization ensured a smooth transition back to normal conditions for the crew members.
The Polaris Dawn mission itself is a key part of SpaceX’s growing commercial space ventures. It aims to further research and development for space travel, including testing new technologies and conducting scientific experiments. The mission is expected to last five days in space, with the crew returning to Earth via a splashdown at one of several designated ocean landing zones off the coast of Florida.
Source: SpaceX
