Jared Isaacman, a billionaire entrepreneur and avid pilot, is set to make history by becoming the first non-professional astronaut to perform a spacewalk.
This milestone is part of the Polaris Dawn mission, led by SpaceX, which launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
The mission’s Dragon capsule orbits 700 kilometers (435 miles) above Earth, and Isaacman, alongside his crew, will venture outside the spacecraft today for the historic spacewalk.
The Polaris Dawn Mission
Polaris Dawn is a private mission organized by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, marking another breakthrough in space tourism. Commanded by Isaacman, the mission includes three other crew members.
Their mission, launched two days ago, aims to push the boundaries of private space exploration. Today, Isaacman will exit the spacecraft to perform a spacewalk, making him the first tourist in history to do so.
Who is Jared Isaacman?
Jared Isaacman is an American businessman, accomplished pilot, and commercial astronaut. Although not a professional astronaut by training, he has become a prominent figure in the world of private space exploration.
Isaacman began his entrepreneurial journey as a teenager, eventually founding Shift4 Payments, a leading payment processing company serving industries like hospitality and entertainment.
Isaacman later founded Draken International, a company that provides pilot training for the U.S. Armed Forces using one of the world’s largest fleets of private fighter jets.
He sold a majority stake of Draken to Blackstone, significantly boosting his wealth.
A Passion for Aviation and Space
Isaacman is an avid pilot with over 7,000 hours of flight experience. He began performing in airshows at age 20 with the Black Diamond Jet Team and, in 2009, set a world record for circumnavigating the globe in a light aircraft, completing the feat 20 hours faster than the previous record holder.
Isaacman is no stranger to space missions, either. In 2021, he commanded SpaceX’s Inspiration4, the first all-civilian mission to orbit Earth.
This private mission made headlines as it was the first of its kind, with no one aboard belonging to any government space agency.
Breaking New Ground in Space Exploration
Now, as part of Polaris Dawn, Isaacman will not only be commanding a mission for the second time, but he will also reach an altitude of approximately 1,400 kilometers, the highest since the Apollo missions.
Accompanied by Sarah Gillis, the pair will make history during their highly anticipated spacewalk, solidifying Isaacman’s place as a pioneer in the emerging era of commercial space exploration.
