Isaacman and Gillis conduct first-ever civilian spacewalk with Polaris Dawn

SpaceX marks another historic milestone. The Polaris Dawn mission has been successfully completed the first spacewalk by civilians. Although the walk was scheduled for 8:23 a.m. Spanish peninsula time, it finally took place at 12:12 p.m., when maneuvers began to depressurize the Crew Dragon and open the hatch. About 40 minutes later, Jared Isaacman could be seen from Spain finally leaving the capsule, as we were able to see live via EL ESPAÑOL – Omicrono. The repressurization process continues for the moment, apparently without problems.

Isaacman, the American billionaire founder of the Shift4 company, is the mission’s lead sponsor and serves as crew commander. The crew is rounded out by Scott Poteet, mission pilot and former US Air Force lieutenant colonel; Sarah Gillis, SpaceX mission specialist and engineer; and Anna Menon, mission specialist and doctor aboard the Dragon spacecraft. Isaacman and Gillis took turns exiting the capsule. The first left a memorable sentence: “We have many problems to solve, but from here the world seems perfect.”

The two astronauts spent about 20 minutes in total positioned partially outside the hatch, with the capsule between 500 and 730 km from Earth and traveling at a speed of more than 25,000 km/h. The goal was to conduct a series of mobility tests that will provide the data SpaceX teams need to improve future long-duration missions with EVA suits. That’s why Sarah Gillis, a SpaceX engineer, will accompany Isaccman abroad; For SpaceX, it is crucial that its own employees experiment with the suit and its technology in space. with the idea of ​​improving them for future space adventurers.

A historical walk

The whole process takes about two hours, while the four Polaris Dawn astronauts are dressed in their company-designed spacesuits. Meanwhile, the Dragon capsule finishes depressurizing so Isaacman and Gillis can exit the hatch in a “mobility aid” that SpaceX calls Skywalker. The only problem, as could be heard in communications between the astronauts and mission control, was with the hatch opening and closing system, but they managed to fix it on the fly.

After completing its first challenge, that of reaching the greatest distance ever reached by a manned spacecraft since 1972, the spacecraft lowered its orbit to get closer to Earth. From the 1,400 kilometers that had been marked as the furthest point, it managed to descend, executing a series of propulsion maneuvers, up to an orbit between 195 kilometers and 737 kilometers. This is the margin in which the walk was carried out.

These maneuvers during the first two days of flight were superimposed on the preparation for the depressurization of the ship. The crew members had to gradually purge nitrogen from the blood so that when the ship depressurized and the vacuum door was opened, the gas would not form bubbles in the astronauts’ circulatory system.

This is done by slowly decreasing the oxygen levels in the cabin. All this preparation is necessary since there are no airlocks on the ship like there are on the International Space Station. Therefore, the entire crew used the EVA suits and not just those who went outside. Is This is the first time that four astronauts have been exposed to the vacuum of space simultaneously..

Throughout the mission, including the walk, a long list of experiments is carried out. For example, SpaceX reported that astronauts They have already been able to test satellite communication via StarlinkThis is Elon Musk’s constellation that provides Internet on the Earth’s surface and also aims to be a vector for space communications, for which it uses laser technology to connect to the network.

On the other hand, we are looking to know the effect of microgravity on human health. Ultrasound is used to measure changes in the structure of the eye in microgravity and the use of contact lenses with integrated microelectronics that will allow continuous monitoring of changes in the shape and pressure of the eye.

EVA suits put to the test

The new suits, introduced this year, are a key point of the mission. They feature new, more resistant materials, as well as innovative manufacturing processes that guarantee good performance during this historic spacewalk. In this way, the promised greater flexibility has been put to the test so as not to sacrifice comfort when it comes to perform movements in zero gravity.

One of its essential aspects is the helmet, which integrates a HUD or Head-Up Display interface. This technology, already seen in some latest generation vehicles, displays driving information in areas such as the windshield. SpaceX’s EVA suit also incorporates a “state-of-the-art” camera that gives the astronaut information about the suit’s pressure, temperature and relative humidity.

Pressure seals and valves were also added to ensure constant pressurization in the hope that no incidents would occur during the trek, thus ensuring the safety of the Dragon crew.