The Polaris Dawn crew, aboard SpaceX’s Dragon capsule, successfully returned to Earth after completing a five-day mission in orbit.
The mission, led by billionaire Jared Isaacman, made history as the first commercial spacewalk, setting a milestone for private space travel.
The Dragon capsule, named Resilience, splashed down off the coast of Florida at 08:30 BST, with the event broadcast live by SpaceX. The crew included Isaacman, retired US Air Force pilot Scott Poteet, and SpaceX employees Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon.
Notably, Isaacman and Gillis became the first non-professional astronauts to perform a spacewalk. They exited the Dragon spacecraft, floating 435 miles (700 km) above Earth, marking the highest spacewalk ever attempted. The crew was exposed to the vacuum of space during the maneuver, enabled by advanced space suits equipped with new technology.
During their time in orbit, the team conducted over 40 scientific experiments, including studying the effects of space on human health and testing SpaceX’s Starlink satellite communication network.
One highlight included Sarah Gillis playing a violin performance of “Rey’s Theme” from Star Wars, transmitted back to Earth as part of the Starlink communication tests.
Polaris Dawn, funded by Isaacman, is the first of three planned missions in collaboration with SpaceX, with future plans including the first manned flight of the new SpaceX Starship.
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