 "Here's how a billionaire and his buddies are taking space to the next level")
When US billionaire Jared Isaacman self-funded his first mission to orbit Earth in 2021, it was a landmark moment — a space mission not by seasoned astronauts but by civilians, billed as a fundraiser for childhood cancer. The four-person crew, with no prior spaceflight experience, spent three days in a 13-foot-wide SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, orbiting the Earth and marking a grand entrance into the world of private space tourism.
Upon his return, Isaacman believed his journey to space had reached its zenith. “We kind of checked every one of the boxes we set out to achieve,” Isaacman told CNN, reflecting on the SpaceX Inspiration4 mission that proved how ordinary people could be trained for such extraordinary feats. He thought it might be a good time to stop, having set the bar so high.
But space has a way of pulling you back. On August 26, Isaacman, along with three crewmates, will return to space. This time for a mission that is grander, more dangerous, and experimental. The team, comprising Isaacman’s close friend and former Air Force pilot Scott ‘Kidd’ Poteet, and two SpaceX engineers, Anna Menon and Sarah Gillis, will arrive at Kennedy Space Center in Florida to prepare for the launch of Polaris Dawn — a mission designed to push the boundaries of space exploration.
Unlike previous missions funded by wealthy entrepreneurs that often seemed like self-indulgent joyrides, Polaris Dawn is a test mission that aims to stretch the limits of what’s possible. Isaacman, Menon, Gillis, and Poteet will spend five days aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, traveling to altitudes higher than any human has since Nasa’s Apollo missions ended in the 1970s. Their path will take them through the Earth’s radiation belts, adding a significant element of danger to the mission.
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The crew will also attempt a feat never before tried by non-government astronauts: They will open the hatch of their spacecraft and expose themselves to the vacuum of space. This will mark the first time a private crew will conduct a spacewalk, relying solely on SpaceX’s newly developed Extra-Vehicular Activity (EVA) suits.
Isaacman, founder of the payment services company Shift4, is not merely retracing the steps of professional astronauts. He is intent on advancing space technology, helping to fund and personally testing new hardware in the unforgiving void of space.
“What Jared is doing — he’s not just going for a joyride,” said Garrett Reisman, a former Nasa astronaut who now consults for SpaceX. “Jared wants to do things that SpaceX wasn’t necessarily doing on its own, to push their capabilities further,” Reisman said.
An unprecedented mission
Polaris Dawn, announced in 2022, is the first of three testing and development missions under the Polaris Program, which Isaacman has pledged to fund and execute alongside SpaceX. The mission’s goal is to validate the technology that SpaceX will need to carry humans deeper into space — including new spacesuits, EVA technology, and life-support systems.
After launch, the crew will enter an orbit that extends as high as 870 miles from Earth, penetrating the dangerous Van Allen radiation belts. Upon reaching space, the crew will begin a 45-hour “pre-breathe” process, akin to the precautions scuba divers take to avoid decompression sickness. This will prepare their bodies for the spacewalk by slowly reducing cabin pressure and increasing oxygen concentration.
On the third day, Isaacman and Gillis will exit the spacecraft, tethered by umbilicals, while the entire capsule and its occupants are exposed to the vacuum of space. This mission will expose the crew to more risk than any other orbital space tourism mission, including those that have taken paying customers to the International Space Station.
High stakes and high risk
The development of the mission, including the EVA suits and other technologies, has been a rapid yet rigorous process. SpaceX, known for its speed, took less than three years to prepare for Polaris Dawn. Engineers have tested everything from how the spacecraft’s avionics handle radiation to how the EVA suits can withstand micrometeorite impacts. Even the spacecraft itself was subjected to a “bake-out” process to eliminate the risk of toxins venting into the cabin after the spacewalk.
Despite the risks, the Polaris Dawn crew remains confident. Isaacman’s inspiration stems from SpaceX’s ultimate goal: To make humanity a multiplanetary species. His visit to SpaceX’s facilities in South Texas, where the Starship rocket is being developed, was a transformative experience. “We were surrounded by the people that were going to help humankind get to Mars and really explore our solar system,” Isaacman recalled. “It made me a real believer.”
SpaceX’s journey, driven by founder Elon Musk’s vision, is one of the most ambitious of our time. And while Isaacman acknowledges that SpaceX often gets boiled down to one person, he sees the company as a collective of brilliant minds on a mission to unlock the mysteries of life and potentially change humanity’s trajectory.