In a groundbreaking moment for space exploration, billionaire businessman Jared Isaacman became the first non-professional astronaut to conduct a spacewalk on Thursday. The historic milestone was achieved as part of the Polaris Dawn mission, a privately funded mission that Isaacman is both financing and commanding.
Isaacman exited the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft at 11:31 a.m., accompanied by mission specialist Sarah Gillis, who joined him in space at 11:49 a.m. As he stepped out into the vacuum of space, Isaacman remarked, “Back at home, we all have a lot of work to do, but from here Earth sure looks like a perfect world.”
The spacewalk provided breathtaking views, captured through cameras mounted on Isaacman’s helmet, allowing viewers on Earth to witness this monumental achievement in real-time.
Polaris Dawn, which launched on Tuesday aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft, represents a bold push to expand the boundaries of commercial space travel. The mission aims to test new space technology, including a thinner SpaceX spacesuit and new life support systems. The crew is expected to return to Earth on Saturday.
Isaacman, a self-made billionaire with a net worth estimated at $2 billion, made his fortune in the technology and payments sectors, founding companies such as Draken International and Shift4 Payments. As an accomplished jet pilot, Isaacman has long been an advocate of space exploration and envisions a future where space travel is as commonplace as boarding a flight.
