a gIn a groundbreaking achievement for private space travel, billionaire Jared Isaacman and engineer Sarah Gillis have completed the first-ever spacewalk by non-professional astronauts. The historic maneuver took place approximately 435 miles (700 km) above Earth, with the pair stepping out of a SpaceX spacecraft in specially-designed suits.
Isaacman and Gillis exited the spacecraft about 15 minutes apart, beginning at 11:52 BST. “Back at home we all have a lot of work to do, but from here Earth sure looks like a perfect world,” Isaacman remarked as he embarked on the spacewalk. This achievement marks the first time a commercial mission has conducted such a maneuver; previously, spacewalks were solely the domain of astronauts from government space agencies.
Live broadcasts captured the duo emerging from the white Dragon capsule, floating above the planet. Isaacman emerged first, testing his suit’s functionality before re-entering the spacecraft, allowing Gillis to then take her turn outside.
The spacewalk, which was initially scheduled for 07:23 BST but delayed, involved significant preparation. The crew spent two days “pre-breathing” to avoid decompression sickness, a condition resulting from rapid pressure changes. The spacecraft was depressurized to simulate the conditions of space.
Dr. Simeon Barber, a research scientist at the Open University, noted that this spacewalk used a “very different approach” compared to traditional spacewalks conducted from the International Space Station. Unlike past missions that utilized airlocks, the SpaceX Dragon capsule was exposed directly to space.
The mission, funded by Isaacman, included three other crew members: retired Air Force pilot Scott ‘Kidd’ Poteet, and SpaceX engineers Anna Menon and Sarah Gillis. Despite the innovative nature of the mission, it carried substantial risks. The Dragon capsule, used on three previous spaceflights, and the new extravehicular activity (EVA) suits had not been extensively tested in these conditions.
The EVA suits feature advanced technology, including a heads-up display in the helmet, which allows astronauts to monitor their suit’s status. The suits were designed for comfort and flexibility, eliminating the need for separate launch and landing suits.
This spacewalk, occurring at a higher altitude than any before, represents a milestone in space travel, showcasing the potential for private companies to pioneer new achievements in the field. The Resilience spacecraft, which launched on Tuesday, is set to reach up to 870 miles (1,400 km) above Earth, surpassing previous human spaceflight records since the end of NASA’s Apollo program in the 1970s.
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