American tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman has launched into space aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on a historic mission to perform the first private spacewalk. The spacecraft, named Resilience, is set to reach an orbit altitude of 870 miles, farther than anyone has gone since NASA’s Apollo program.
Isaacman is sharing the cost of the flight with a pair of SpaceX engineers and a former US Air Force pilot, all of whom will conduct up to 40 experiments during their five-day mission. The spacewalk, scheduled for Thursday, will test new astronaut suits designed to be more inclusive of different shapes and sizes, reducing costs for future human spaceflight missions.
The mission, called Polaris Dawn, is the first of three trips purchased from SpaceX founder Elon Musk by Isaacman, who previously raised hundreds of millions for St Jude Children’s Research Hospital on a private SpaceX spaceflight in 2021. Isaacman, who is the mission commander and the most experienced astronaut on board, hopes to inspire future generations with his space exploration endeavors.
While some criticize billionaires purchasing their way into space history, Isaacman’s mission aims to push the boundaries of private space exploration and make space more accessible to all. The spacewalk milestone marks a significant advancement in space technology and human spaceflight capabilities, with Isaacman and his crew planning to make history while testing new spacesuit designs.
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