SpaceX Polaris Dawn LIVE: Billionaire Jared Isaacman completes first privately-funded spacewalk
A billionaire has become the first non-professional astronaut to walk in space.
Entrepreneur Jared Isaacman said "It's gorgeous" as he stepped out of the hatch of the Crew Dragon SpaceX craft.
"Back at home we still have a lot of work to do," he said, "But from here it looks like a perfect world."
After Isaacman returned to the craft Mission specialist, SpaceX engineer Sarah Gillis exited the craft left the craft, and completed the same series of mobility tests as were carried out by Mr Isaacson. She then climbed back into the cabin before closing the hatch.
The first privately-funded spacewalk is SpaceX’s riskiest mission yet.
The businessman and three other crew have been orbiting Earth aboard Crew Dragon since Tuesday’s pre-dawn launch from Florida of the Polaris Dawn mission.
It is the Elon Musk-led company’s latest bid to push the boundaries of commercial spaceflight.The event was livestreamed.
The capsule, at an altitude of 700 km (435 miles), was completely depressurised, and the whole crew relied on their slim, SpaceX-developed spacesuits for oxygen.
Isaacman, 41, a pilot and the billionaire founder of electronic payments company Shift4, is bankrolling the Polaris mission, as he did his Inspiration4 flight with SpaceX in 2021.
The others in Polaris include mission pilot Scott Poteet, 50, a retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel, and SpaceX employees Sarah Gillis, 30, and Anna Menon, 38, both senior engineers.
Follow the latest updates below...
Coverage ends
13:44 , Matt Watts
That ends our coverage of the first ever privately-funded spacewalk. Thanks for joining us for this historic day in space exploration.
First-ever privately funded spacewalk complete
13:02 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
The first-ever privately funded spacewalk is now over, after an hour and 46 minutes’ total time.
The astronauts are all now back in their seats.
The crew will soon be able to remove their suits and begin moving around the cabin.
Re-pressurisation is now complete
12:55 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
The Dragon capsule cabin has now been raised to the desired pressure, ground control has confirmed.
Capsule leak check is being carried out
12:35 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
Cameras are now showing us views of the astronauts inside the capsule again.
Leak checks are being carried out on the capsule. It’s thought we’re about half-way through this, and that there are around three or four minutes of this check still remaining.
Pressure inside the cabin has now been stabilised, to help ensure the hatch is properly sealed and shut.
WATCH: Billionaire Jared Isaacman steps out into space in first-ever commerical spacewalk
12:29 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
Pressure is being raised inside the cabin
12:25
The pressure level is still being raised inside the capsule’s cabin.
'Good hatch seal' says ground control
12:17 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
Ground control has indicated there appear to be a good seal, now the hatch has been closed.
It will soon initiate the process of raising the pressure of the capsule again. The pressure had been lowered to near-zero, to match that of the vaccuum outside the spacecraft.
Sarah Gillis returns to capsule and begins to close hatch
12:15
Engineer Sarah Gillis has now returned to the capsule, and the hatch is being shut.
Engineer leaves space capsule
12:07 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
To loud cheers and claps from ground control, SpaceX Sarah Gillis has now climbed through the hatch.
She is standing with her torso out of the spacecraft, as she carries out tests to test the movement of her spacesuit. She is giving feedback to ground control as she does this.
Testing the cutting-edge new SpaceX spacesuits is a key object of this mission.
Engineer prepares to leave spacecraft
12:02 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
SpaceX engineer Sarah Gillis is now preparing to do her spacewalk.
Isaacson climbs back inside space capsule after successful spacewalk
12:00
Isaacson has praised the “huge team effort” that has helped make the “historic” voyage happen, as he climbed back inside the vehicle.
Billionaire carries out spacesuit tests
11:56 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
We’re now seeing Isaacson carry out a number of movements designed to test the new spacesuits he and the rest of the crew are wearing.
This was one of the key aims of the space mission.
Isaacson gazes down upon 'perfect world' in historic moment
11:55
It was difficult to make out Isaacson’s exact words as he left the capsule, but he appeared to say that he was observing what appeared to be “a perfect world”.
His poignant words were met by a huge outbreaking of applause and cheers from ground control.
Isaacson climbs out of Dragon capsule
11:51 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
Jared Isaacson is climbing out of the spacecraft.
Massive applause from ground control
11:51
Those on the ground at SpaceX HQ have just applauded massively, as the hatch opened.
We’re now seeing our first views from Isaacson’s helmet camera, showing his view through the open hatch.
Isaacman opens hatch into space
11:49 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
Having unlatched the hatch, Isaacson has given it a firm tug to release it.
A button has been pressed by crewmember Sarah Gillis, to swing the hatch open.
Isaacson has been given the go-ahead by ground control to open the hatch manually.
The hatch is now open.
Hatch is being opened
11:44 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
Isaacman is now turning the crank which initiates the opening of the hatch.
Astronauts given go-ahead to open the hatch
11:43
Jared Isaacman has been given the go-ahead to open the capsule’s hatch.
“Dragon, you are go to open hatch,” said ground control.
Cabin is being vented
11:32 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
The four crewmembers have now given the go-ahead for the cabin to be vented. The pressure inside the capsule will reduce during this process, but the pressure inside the spacesuits will - if all goes to plan - remain around the same.
It is thought this venting process will take around eight minutes.
What will happen when crewmembers leave spacecraft?
11:30 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
US tech billionaire Jared Isaacman will be the first person to leave the capsule. He will help test new spacesuits (extravehicular activity suits) to see how they perform.
During the walk, mission commander Isaacman will exit the Dragon spacecraft, and perform a series of mobility tests in the newly-designed spacesuits, and return to the cabin.
He will then return to the capsule, and mission specialist Sarah Gillis will leave, to perform the same series of actions. After re-entering Dragon, she will then close the spacecraft's hatch.
Mission pilot Kidd Poteet and mission specialist and medical officer Anna Menon will monitor vital support systems throughout the operation.
Mr Isaacman is sharing the cost of the mission with SpaceX.
Pressure inside spacesuits is being altered
11:19
The crewmembers now have their visors down, sealing their spacesuits so oxygen can be being pumped into them.
The pressure inside their suits is increasing, and the suits are visibly inflating slightly.
It takes several minutes for the suits to reach the correct pressure. They will then be checked for leaks.
'Crew is go for spacewalk' says ground control
11:12 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
The crew have just been given the go-ahead from SpaceX HQ.
They’ve been told to close their visors on their spacesuit, so oxygen flow can begin.
“Crew is go for spacewalk,” they are told by ground control.
Crew bump fists
11:11 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
We’re now seeing the suited crewmembers bumping fists as they prepare to close their visors, and for the spacewalk to begin.
Crew carries out final checks
11:05 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
The Dragon crew are currently carrying out a final review of their closely choreographed routine,
Helmet cameras are being prepared
11:03 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
The cameras attached to the crew’s helmets are due to be switched on very soon. They’re bound to offer some very impressive views.
A reminder that you can watch the live broadcast of the spacewalk at the top of this page.
Photo shows inside spacecraft as crew prepare for spacewalk
11:02 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
This is the first live glimpse inside the SpaceX craft, as the crewmembers prepare for the spacewalk.
Spacewalk set to begin
11:00 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
The process is now beginning.
Isaacman is due to first exit the craft around 11:30 BST, followed by Gillis 18 minutes later, according to the SpaceX schedule.
Crew has been training for two-and-a-half years
10:47 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
Only government astronauts with several years of training have done spacewalks in the past.
There have been roughly 270 on the International Space Station (ISS) since it was set up in 2000, and 16 by Chinese astronauts on Beijing's Tiangong space station.
The Polaris crew has spent two-and-a-half years of training with SpaceX mission simulations and "experiential learning" in challenging, uncomfortable environments, said crewmember Scott Poteet.
Last month Mr Poteet - a retired US Air Force fighter pilot - told reporters in Florida that spaceflight preparation was more intense than he had experienced in his military career.
"I can tell you without a doubt this has been some of the most challenging training that I've ever experienced," retired lieutenant colonel Mr Poteet said in Cape Canaveral before the launch.
Photo shows view from inside capsule
10:43 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
A photo shared by SpaceX taken this morning shows an orbital sunset, from inside the SpaceX Dragon capsule.
Who is on board the spacecraft?
10:34
A billionaire entrepreneur, a retired military fighter pilot and two SpaceX employees have been orbiting Earth aboard the Crew Dragon capsule since the Polaris Dawn mission launched from Florida before dawn on Tuesday.
Jared Isaacman, 41, a pilot and the billionaire founder of electronic payments company Shift4, is bankrolling the Polaris mission, as he did his Inspiration4 flight with SpaceX in 2021.
He has declined to say how much he is paying for the missions, but they are likely to cost hundreds of millions of dollars, based on Crew Dragon's price of roughly $55 million a seat for other flights.
The others in Polaris include mission pilot Scott Poteet, 50, a retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel, and SpaceX employees Sarah Gillis, 30, and Anna Menon, 38, both senior engineers.
During thespacewalk, Isaacman and Gillis will exit the Crew Dragon tethered by an oxygen line while Poteet and Menon remain inside.
First privately funded spacewalk due to take place
10:28 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
Good morning, and welcome to the Standard’s live blog.
We’ll be bringing you all the latest updates from the first private spacewalk in history, which is set to take place.
A group of astronauts who will leave a SpaceX capsule, testing a new line of spacesuits in the company's riskiest mission yet, pushing the boundaries of commercial spaceflight.
