First-ever private spacewalk: 8 key facts about SpaceX’s historic Polaris Dawn Mission

8 must-know facts about SpaceX's first private spacewalk

• Crew composition: The crew consists of four members: Jared Isaacman, pilot Scott "Kidd" Poteet, and SpaceX employees Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon.

• Start of Extravehicular Activity (EVA): At 10:12 GMT, the Dragon spacecraft’s orbit was adjusted to an elliptical path, ranging from 430 miles at its highest point to 120 miles at its lowest. Pure oxygen filled the crew’s spacesuits, officially marking the start of their extravehicular activity (EVA).

• Spacesuit flexibility and durability test: The spacewalk, which was expected to last over two hours, focused primarily on testing the new spacesuit's flexibility rather than traditional walking. Isaacman stretched his arms and legs to test the suit’s durability while remaining tethered to the spacecraft. A hatch structure provided added stability during the test.

• SpaceX engineer joins the spacewalk: After Isaacman, SpaceX engineer Sarah Gillis took over and went through the same procedures. While floating weightlessly, she twisted her arms and reported her observations back to Mission Control.

• SpaceX’s ongoing achievements: This mission adds to the growing list of SpaceX’s accomplishments since its founding by Elon Musk in 2002. Once doubted by traditional space agencies, SpaceX has evolved into a leading force in the space industry.

• Testing SpaceX’s new in-house spacesuits: A key objective of the spacewalk was to test SpaceX’s newly developed in-house spacesuits. These suits are expected to be used for a wide range of upcoming missions.

• Starlink laser-based communications test: According to the Polaris Dawn website, the crew is also testing Starlink’s laser-based communication system in space. The data collected will be vital for future missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

• Scientific research for human health: While in orbit, the crew will conduct scientific experiments aimed at enhancing human health on Earth, as well as gaining insights into the effects of long-duration space travel on the human body.