The SpaceX Polaris Dawn capsule has safely returned to Earth, splashing down in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Florida at 3:36 a.m. EDT on Sunday (September 15). The historic mission, which included the first-ever private spacewalk, was commanded by billionaire tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman.
The Polaris Dawn mission marked several milestones in civilian spaceflight. Isaacman, who also funded and organized SpaceX’s Inspiration4 mission in September 2021, performed the first spacewalk by a private citizen, followed by SpaceX engineer Sarah Gillis. The mission also reached a maximum altitude of 870 miles — higher than any crewed Earth-orbiting spacecraft had ever achieved. This was also the farthest distance from Earth that any astronauts had traveled since the Apollo program ended in 1972.
The mission was not without its challenges. SpaceX had to develop and test its own extravehicular activity (EVA) suit and modify the Crew Dragon capsule, named Resilience, for the occasion. The modifications included installing a new hatch structure called Skywalker, which features a ladder, handholds, and footholds.
The four-person crew, which also included retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Scott “Kidd” Poteet and SpaceX mission director Anna Melon, conducted a variety of tasks during their five days in orbit. They completed science experiments designed to prepare astronauts for longer flights in the future, including tracking changes to eyesight and ocular health, studying how microgravity affects blood flow, and monitoring the effects of medications in orbit.
The mission’s main focus was testing SpaceX’s sleek new spacesuit, which is designed to protect astronauts from radiation and extreme temperatures while keeping them safe in the vacuum of space.
The successful completion of the Polaris Dawn mission marks another significant achievement for SpaceX, which has been ferrying NASA astronauts back and forth from the International Space Station since its first successful crewed test flight four years ago.
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