Polaris Dawn Crew Returns to Earth After Historic Spacewalk
SpaceX's Polaris Dawn mission came to a successful conclusion after the crew returned to Earth following five days in orbit.
The four-member team, led by billionaire Jared Isaacman, made a splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico near Florida's Dry Tortugas in the early hours of Sunday morning. This historic mission featured the first commercial spacewalk and reached a record-breaking altitude of 870 miles, the highest any human has flown since the Apollo program.
Polaris Dawn crew conduct almost 40 experiments in space
The crew, which included SpaceX employees Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon, and retired US Air Force pilot Scott Poteet, conducted nearly 40 experiments during their time in space.
The experiments investigated the effects of space on human health and tested SpaceX’s new spacewalking suits. These suits, designed to withstand the harsh vacuum of space, were tested during the spacewalk, performed by Isaacman and Gillis 435 miles above Earth, as the astronauts performed stretches and other movements while tethered to the spacecraft.
This marked the first time civilians, rather than professional astronauts, attempted such a feat.
Isaacman, reflecting on the view from space, commented, "Back at home, we all have a lot of work to do. But from here, Earth sure looks like a perfect world."
Capsule recovered from ocean after re-entry
Despite the mission's groundbreaking achievements, returning to Earth posed one of the most dangerous challenges. The Crew Dragon capsule, named Resilience, endured temperatures of up to 3,500 degrees Fahrenheit as it re-entered Earth's atmosphere.
Protected by a heat shield, the crew remained safe and comfortable inside. After slowing down with parachutes, the capsule splashed into the ocean, where recovery teams were waiting to retrieve it.
Polaris Dawn raise money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
In addition to scientific endeavours, the mission also had a charitable focus. Throughout the journey, the Polaris Dawn crew raised funds for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Gillis, who is also a violinist, performed “Rey’s Theme” from Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which was transmitted back to Earth via SpaceX’s Starlink satellite network as part of a test for in-space connectivity.
Isaacman to continue to push boundaries of private space travel
Polaris Dawn is the first in a series of missions funded by Isaacman as part of a larger collaboration with SpaceX. The ultimate goal is to pave the way for future space exploration, including the first manned flight of SpaceX's Starship, which is currently under development.
Isaacman, who previously flew in SpaceX’s Inspiration 4 mission, continues to push the boundaries of private space travel. His second mission with SpaceX brought a significant leap forward for the commercial space industry, demonstrating the potential of privately-funded space exploration.
