On Sunday (15th) at 4:36 AM Brasília time, the crew of the Polaris Dawn mission successfully returned to Earth, marking a historic achievement with the completion of the first-ever private spacewalk. This milestone was part of a mission backed by SpaceX, which also included various scientific experiments and a test video call using the Starlink network. The mission set a new record for the farthest distance from Earth that humans have traveled since the Apollo Program, which ended in 1975.
SpaceX confirmed the successful return through their social media, sharing images of the Dragon capsule splashing down near Dry Tortugas, Florida, carrying the four-member crew.
The civilian crew—Jared Isaacman, Scott “Kidd” Poteet, Sarah Gillis, and Anna Menon—launched last Tuesday (10th) and spent the past five days orbiting the planet at an altitude of 737 km. During the early phase of the mission, the team reached an altitude of over 1,400 km, a record since the Apollo lunar missions.
Over the course of the mission, the crew conducted 36 experiments aimed at advancing both Earth-based and space-related medical research. Another groundbreaking achievement was the private spacewalk, which lasted two hours. The spacewalk, designed to test the latest version of SpaceX’s spacesuit, was deemed one of the most dangerous ever attempted.
Additionally, the crew tested Starlink’s laser communication technology, conducting a 40-minute video call. During the call, engineer and violinist Sarah Gillis shared a performance recorded aboard the spacecraft.
Celebrating the mission’s success, the Polaris Dawn team emphasized on X (formerly Twitter) that this achievement marks “A new era of commercial spaceflight dawns,” with the promise of more to come. The mission’s positive outcome paves the way for more ambitious projects, as SpaceX continues to advance its investment in space tourism, a sector with increasing competition.
Source: engadget
