SpaceX Astronauts return to Earth after tech billionaire Jared Isaacman conducted first-ever civilian spacewalk

SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn crew safely returned to Earth, splashing down in the Gulf of Mexico early Sunday. The mission was a landmark moment, reaching a higher altitude than any human has traveled in the past 50 years and marking the first-ever civilian spacewalk by a privately funded and operated mission.

This journey was the third for the specific Crew Dragon capsule used in the mission. Alongside the historic spacewalk, the crew conducted nearly 40 science experiments and research studies.

Jared Isaacman, a tech billionaire, became the 264th person to perform a spacewalk, with SpaceX’s Sarah Gillis following as the 265th. Previously, all spacewalks were carried out by professional astronauts.

Polaris Dawn Crew Returns to Earth

The capsule landed near Florida’s Dry Tortugas, carrying Isaacman, two SpaceX engineers, and a former Air Force Thunderbird pilot. They completed the first private spacewalk while orbiting nearly 460 miles above Earth—higher than both the International Space Station and Hubble Space Telescope. At its peak, the spacecraft reached an altitude of 875 miles following its Tuesday launch.

“After nearly five days orbiting Earth, the astronauts of Polaris Dawn, flying aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, safely splashed down off the coast of Florida at 3:36:54 a.m. EDT. The mission launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 5:23 a.m. EDT on September 10, 2024,” Polaris said on its website.

On Thursday, Isaacman spent 10 minutes floating outside the SpaceX capsule, becoming part of the first-ever all-civilian spacewalk, three years after leading the 2021 SpaceX mission as commander of the world’s first all-civilian orbital mission.

“Mission accomplished,” Isaacman radioed as the capsule floated in the water, waiting for the recovery team. Less than an hour later, all four crew members emerged from the spacecraft, celebrating with raised fists as they stepped onto the ship’s deck.

From Teen to Billionaire: Isaacman’s Space Journey

Isaacman’s story began in his teenage years, when his computer skills landed him an IT consulting job at a payment processing firm, prompting him to drop out of high school. At 16, he started a rival company, simplifying business processes by moving applications online. With a $10,000 check from his grandfather, he set up the business in his childhood home’s basement, stating, “You needed a couple of computers and some phones, and that was enough to get going.”

Isaacman privately funded both space missions, with an estimated net worth of $1.9 billion, according to Forbes. “I decided I was going to go to space when I was 5,” he shared with CNBC in 2021. “It just took me a while to make it happen.”

At 41, Isaacman is a skilled pilot, having set a world record in 2009 for the fastest around-the-world flight in a light jet. He remains a strong supporter of the private space industry, envisioning a future where space travel is accessible to everyone.

This mission is part of Isaacman’s Polaris program, which includes several private spaceflights aimed at pushing technological limits. These efforts are helping to redefine space exploration, fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing between private companies like SpaceX and agencies such as NASA.