On September 12th, 2023, the Polaris Dawn mission, spearheaded by SpaceX and funded by billionaire Jared Isaacman, marked a significant milestone in the commercialization of space flights. The Polaris Dawn conducted the first-ever commercial spacewalk. Jared Isaacman and Sarah Gillis, part of the four-member crew, exited the SpaceX Dragon capsule, showcasing the capabilities of private enterprises in performing complex space operations. 

The Polaris Dawn crew comprises Jared Isaacman, pilot Scott “Kidd” Poteet, and mission specialists Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon. 

The Historic Spacewalk 

Polaris Dawn Mission set a new altitude record for a crewed spacecraft in Earth orbit, reaching 870 miles above Earth. This achievement surpasses the previous record set by NASA’s Gemini 11 mission in 1966.  

After circling Earth six times in the high orbit, the Crew Dragon returned to a lower orbit, where there is less danger from radiation and micrometeoroids. 

The Extravehicular Activity (EVA) was conducted from SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, named “Resilience.” Isaacman, the mission commander, and Gillis, the mission specialist from SpaceX, were the two astronauts who performed the EVA while Scott “Kidd” Poteet and Anna Menon supported the operation from the inside. 

Isaacman was the first to open the hatch, using a hand crank to unlock the top hatch of the Dragon capsule. This moment was captured live, showing Isaacman silhouetted against the Earth. 

Isaacman, from his perch above the planet, likely felt the height in his soul as he commented, “Back at home we have a lot of work to do, but from here, it sure looks like a perfect world”, as he looked down on the South Pacific from an altitude of 458 miles. 

Isaacman and Gillis took turns emerging from the upper hatch. They did not float out but rather “stood up” through the hatch, carefully holding the “Skywalker”, a set of rails and footholds designed to keep the astronauts tethered and connected to the vehicle in a method known as a stand-up EVA (SEVA).  

Each was outside for no more than 10 minutes, and spent most of their time flexing, reaching, and bending in their suits, testing their mobility and comfort. SpaceX envisions mass-producing the suits one day—in pursuit of its long-term goal of colonizing Mars—and this first flight test was a key step. 

Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Suits 

The EVA suits, developed and designed by SpaceX, are an evolution of SpaceX’s intravehicular activity (IVA) suits, which are used inside the spacecraft. 

The suits are designed with enhanced mobility in mind. They include new joints that allow for greater flexibility and ease of movement, crucial for performing tasks outside the spacecraft. 

The helmet features a heads-up display (HUD) that provides critical telemetry data, such as pressure, temperature, and relative humidity, without obstructing the astronaut’s view. The readings on the HUD were narrated by Isaacman and Gillis during the spacewalk. The visor is made of polycarbonate and coated with copper and indium tin oxide to reflect sunlight and infrared heat. 

The suits are equipped with advanced thermal management systems to ensure the astronauts remain comfortable and safe in the extreme temperatures of space. The suits feature multiple redundancies in oxygen supply and various valves and seals. 

Astronauts inside the capsule, Scott Poteet and Anna Menon also had to wear the EVA suits. Since the Dragon spacecraft lacks an airlock, the entire cabin had to be depressurized for the spacewalk. 

This EVA marked the first time non-government astronauts performed a spacewalk. The successful EVA demonstrated the potential for future commercial missions to conduct similar operations, paving the way for more ambitious endeavors, particularly Elon Musk’s lofty goal of successfully colonizing Mars. 

Spacewalks are one of the most difficult maneuvers in space, so the fact that a private company has pulled it off is a milestone in the history of space travel.  

Since the late 1990s, spacewalks have been crucial for the assembly, maintenance, and upgrading of the International Space Station (ISS) and have been facilitated by NASA, with nearly 280 spacewalks conducted so far. The first spacewalk was conducted by Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov on March 18, 1965, during the Voskhod 2 mission. Leonov spent about 12 minutes outside the spacecraft but faced significant challenges re-entering due to the stiffness of his spacesuit. 

On June 3, 1965, NASA astronaut Ed White performed the first American spacewalk during the Gemini 4 mission. White spent approximately 20 minutes outside the spacecraft, tethered to it while using a handheld maneuvering unit. 

Astronauts regularly perform EVAs to install new modules, repair equipment, and conduct scientific experiments. 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) involvement 

While the government agency has no role in the project, NASA has several research goals tied to the Polaris Dawn mission. NASA aims to gather essential health data to better understand how space conditions affect the human body. 

Crew members will document their symptoms and the effectiveness of various interventions to alleviate motion sickness. Research will focus on understanding and preventing decompression sickness (the bends), a risk associated with spacewalks and rapid changes in pressure. The mission will study the effects of microgravity on vision and eye health. 

One of the mission’s significant goals is to test new telemedicine technologies. The crew will use a commercial device capable of collecting and integrating various health measurements, including blood pressure, heart rate, respiration rate, and temperature. This device also offers ultrasound imaging and video capabilities for the larynx and throat. The telemedicine feature, relying on SpaceX’s Starlink communications system, will be tested to diagnose crew members in near-real time.