September 12, 2024 - SpaceX Dragon Capsule, Low Earth Orbit
In a groundbreaking achievement, the Polaris Dawn crew successfully completed the world’s first spacewalk from the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft early Thursday morning, marking a new milestone in commercial space exploration. The extravehicular activity (EVA), conducted at a record altitude of 732.2 kilometers above Earth, took place at 7:58 a.m. ET.
Prepping for Spacewalk
After reaching orbit on Tuesday, the four-person crew began a two-day pre-breathe protocol. This vital process was designed to prevent decompression sickness and acclimatize the astronauts to the conditions they would face during the EVA. The pre-breathe involved gradually lowering the Dragon's cabin pressure and increasing the oxygen concentration to prepare their bodies for the space environment inside the EVA suits.
Initiating the Historic Spacewalk
On Thursday morning, Mission Commander Jared Isaacman, Mission Specialist Sarah Gillis, Pilot Kidd Poteet, and Mission Specialist Anna Menon suited up for the EVA. The team ran through a series of preparatory steps, including suit tare, Dragon seat rotation, and conducting critical checks on the heads-up display and helmet cameras. At 6:12 a.m. ET, the 106-minute spacewalk officially began when the suit pressurization started, nitrogen was purged from the suits, and pure oxygen began flowing into the EVA suits. A secondary oxygen flow also provided cooling for the astronauts.
With suit leak checks completed, both the crew and ground teams gave the green light for Dragon to initiate cabin venting. The cabin’s pressure dropped from approximately 8 psi to below 1 psi, close to the vacuum of space, while the spacecraft's trunk repositioned itself to face the sun in preparation for the hatch opening.
Stepping into the Void
Mission Commander Jared Isaacman made history by opening the Dragon hatch, exposing all four astronauts to the vacuum of space for the first time. Jared and Sarah Gillis individually exited the spacecraft to conduct a series of mobility demonstrations to test the performance of the spacesuits in the vacuum of space. Inside the Dragon, Pilot Kidd Poteet and Anna Menon remained seated, carefully managing the astronauts' suit umbilicals while monitoring Dragon’s displays to track vital life support systems and telemetry.
Conclusion of the EVA
Following the completion of the spacewalk, the crew returned to Dragon, closed the hatch, and the spacecraft was re-pressurized to 14 psi. Cabin oxygen and pressure levels were stabilized, marking the end of a successful EVA and the completion of the first-ever commercial spacewalk. This moment also represented the first EVA conducted from a Dragon spacecraft, cementing SpaceX’s leadership in commercial space exploration.
Throughout the spacewalk, Dragon’s onboard cameras and helmet-mounted cameras on the astronauts’ suits captured breathtaking visuals as the crew orbited Earth at altitudes ranging from 184.9 km to 732.2 km.
Wrapping Up Flight Day 3
Following their monumental achievement, the crew enjoyed some well-earned rest and recuperation, sharing a meal together before making history again by posting their first social media update from space via Starlink high-speed internet on X (formerly Twitter). They also connected with their families before settling in for their sleep period in preparation for Flight Day 4.
The success of Polaris Dawn’s third day marks another leap forward in humanity’s journey to explore the cosmos, showcasing the potential of commercial space travel and the evolving capabilities of the Dragon spacecraft.
Polaris Dawn Flight Day 3 Update
— Polaris (@PolarisProgram) September 12, 2024
Early Thursday morning at 7:58 a.m. ET, the Polaris Dawn crew successfully completed the world’s first spacewalk – also known as an extravehicular activity (EVA) – from Dragon at 732.2 km above Earth.
Shortly after arriving in space on… pic.twitter.com/ASEH6G3sR9
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