Billionaire spacewalker Jared Isaacman and his crew made a successful return to Earth on Sunday after a five-day trip that took them higher than any other non-NASA astronauts in history. The SpaceX capsule splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico near Florida's Dry Tortugas, with Isaacman, two SpaceX engineers, and a former Air Force Thunderbird pilot on board.
During their mission, the crew performed the first private spacewalk while orbiting nearly 460 miles above Earth, surpassing the altitude of the International Space Station and the Hubble Space Telescope. This marked a significant milestone in private space exploration, as all previous spacewalks had been conducted by professional astronauts.
Isaacman and his crew celebrated their successful mission as they emerged from the capsule onto the recovery ship's deck. The mission was a part of Isaacman's personally financed space exploration program named Polaris, which aims to push the boundaries of space technology and exploration.
The brief spacewalk served as a test of SpaceX's new spacesuit technology, with the company looking ahead to longer missions to Mars in the future. Isaacman, who also completed a chartered flight with SpaceX in 2021, has two more missions planned as part of his Polaris program.
Overall, the mission was a success for SpaceX and the crew, demonstrating the potential for private space exploration and the advancement of space technology. The company's decision to splash down near the Dry Tortugas was a departure from their usual landing locations, showcasing their flexibility and adaptability in the face of changing weather conditions.
The completion of the Polaris Dawn mission marks a new chapter in private space exploration, with Isaacman and SpaceX paving the way for future missions and advancements in space technology.