Polaris Dawn Mission Marks Civilian Space Milestone

SpaceX's Polaris Dawn mission concluded successfully with its capsule splashing down off the coast of Florida at 3:37 a.m. on Sunday, marking a historic achievement as the first all-civilian crew to perform a spacewalk. Led by billionaire Jared Isaacman, the mission reached an altitude of 870 miles, the highest for humans in over 50 years, and ventured into the Van Allen radiation belts. The crew, which included SpaceX engineers Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon, successfully completed their objectives and returned safely after five days in orbit. The spacecraft's return involved complex maneuvers and extreme temperatures, but the Crew Dragon's heat shield provided crucial protection. NASA hailed the mission as a significant advancement for the commercial space industry, paving the way for future explorations beyond Earth's orbit. Polaris Dawn is the first of three planned missions in a collaboration between Isaacman and SpaceX.