American billionaire businessman, Jared Isaacman, has made history by becoming the first non-professional astronaut to walk in space.
Isaacman stepped out of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft during the Polaris Dawn mission, which he is bankrolling.
As he floated outside the spacecraft, Isaacman said, “Back at home we all have a lot of work to do, but from here Earth sure looks like a perfect world.”
The mission, which launched on Tuesday, saw Isaacman and mission specialist Sarah Gillis complete their spacewalk and safely return to the spacecraft.
Stunning views from space, including footage from a camera mounted on Isaacman’s helmet, were broadcast live for viewers to witness.
Jared Isaacman, who is also the mission commander of Polaris Dawn, has been making headlines and is currently one of the most Googled people in the world. \
At 41 years old, Isaacman is known for founding Shift4 Payments in 1999, a company that processes payments for a third of America’s restaurants and hotels, according to Forbes. His net worth is estimated at $1.9 billion.
Isaacman’s journey into aviation began in 2004 when he took flying lessons. Just five years later, he set a world record for circumnavigating the globe in a light jet. He also founded Draken International, which owns the world’s largest private fleet of military aircraft.
While the exact cost of the Polaris Dawn mission has not been disclosed, Isaacman reportedly spent $200 million on a previous SpaceX civilian mission in 2021. The current mission is scheduled to return to Earth on Saturday.
SpaceX has confirmed that the spacewalk, known as EVA (extravehicular activity), was successfully completed, and everyone inside the spacecraft is healthy. The crew members will soon be able to get out of their suits.
