SpaceX: Now First Commercial Spacewalk, What's Next?
What does the first commercial spacewalk signify? Where is SpaceX heading to?
SpaceX continues to break barriers in space exploration, becoming a pioneer in innovation and commercial spaceflight. A recent milestone— the first commercial spacewalk—marks another significant leap forward. In the meantime, its valuation soared to a record $210 billion. What does this commercial spacewalk mean for the aerospace industry, and where is SpaceX headed?
The First Commercial Spacewalk: A New Era in Space Exploration
On March 23, 2023, SpaceX completed its first commercial spacewalk, carried out by private astronauts aboard the Crew Dragon spacecraft. NASA called this mission a "giant leap forward" for the commercial space industry. Billionaire Jared Isaacman funded and led the mission, and both he and SpaceX engineer Sarah Gillis became the first non-professional astronauts to perform a spacewalk. This walk, conducted at the highest altitude ever, saw the crew exposed to the vacuum of space, wearing innovative space suits equipped with the latest technology.
Over the five-day mission, the crew conducted more than 40 experiments, including studying the impact of space missions on human health and testing laser communication between the Dragon spacecraft and SpaceX’s Starlink satellites. Gillis also played “Rey’s Theme” from Star Wars: The Force Awakens in space, transmitting the performance back to Earth via Starlink.
The mission reached an altitude of 1,400 kilometers, the highest for human flight since the Apollo missions in 1972. Polaris Dawn is the first of three planned missions, a collaboration between Isaacman and SpaceX, which includes the first manned flight of SpaceX’s new Starship rocket.
According to SpaceX, the new extravehicular activity (EVA) spacesuits are more innovative and have improved capabilities compared to previous designs. The high-tech EVA suit features display capabilities inside the helmet, providing crucial real-time information during the spacewalk. The suits are also comfortable and flexible enough to be worn during launch and landing, eliminating the need for separate suits during the mission.
CTV technology expert Dan Riskin noted that these new suits were critical to the five-day privately funded mission. He highlighted that spacesuits need to perform many functions, and making them lightweight, flexible, and visually appealing is a significant challenge.
What Does This Mean?
Privatisation of Space Travel: Historically, spacewalks were limited to government agencies like NASA or Russia’s Roscosmos. SpaceX has broken this tradition, signaling a fundamental shift in how humanity accesses space.
Opening Doors for Private Citizens: This mission shows that space exploration is no longer the sole domain of professional astronauts, with privately funded missions now making space accessible to others.
Sign of Commercial Space Growth: This achievement demonstrates the growing space economy, with private companies offering services like satellite deployment, space tourism, and potentially lunar missions.
First Non-Professional Astronaut to Walk in Space: Billionaire Jared Isaacman
American entrepreneur and billionaire Jared Isaacman became the first non-professional astronaut to perform a spacewalk on Thursday. The 41-year-old bankrolled the Polaris Dawn mission, which sent him and three others into space aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft.
Isaacman began flying in 2004 and set a world record for circumnavigating the globe in a light jet. During his first spacewalk, he said, “We have a lot of work to do back at home, but from here, Earth looks like a perfect world.” After Isaacman returned, SpaceX engineer Sarah Gillis also performed a spacewalk. Gillis, formerly a violinist, now serves as the mission specialist for Polaris Dawn.
This isn’t Isaacman’s first space mission. In 2021, he funded and led Inspiration4, the first privately funded, all-civilian orbital mission around Earth.
Born in Union, New Jersey, Isaacman dropped out of high school at 15 and later earned his GED before founding Shift4 Payments from his parents’ basement. His company now processes payments for major US brands like Hilton, Four Seasons, KFC, and Arby’s, handling over $260 billion annually. He also founded Draken International in 2011, a defense company with the world’s largest fleet of private military aircraft.
SpaceX’s History
Founded in 2002, SpaceX’s rise has been meteoric, though not without challenges.
The Origins of SpaceX
SpaceX, short for Space Exploration Technologies Corp., was established in 2002 by Elon Musk as part of his dream to colonise Mars. Initially, building rockets wasn’t part of Musk’s plan. In 2001, he sought to buy rockets from Russia, but faced hostility, with one Russian engineer even spiting on Musk’s shoes. On the flight back, Musk had an idea: he could start his own rocket company. A year later, SpaceX was born.
SpaceX’s Early Struggles
SpaceX didn’t succeed right away. Between 2006 and 2008, its first three rockets failed to reach orbit. The first Falcon 1 rocket failed due to a fuel leak, and the next two encountered problems during booster separation. The company was on the brink of bankruptcy.
Everything hinged on a fourth attempt. With only minor engineering tweaks, success seemed unlikely. However, as Musk said, “Fate smiled upon us that day,” and the Falcon 1 became the first privately developed rocket to reach orbit.
Dragon Capsule and the ISS
This success allowed SpaceX to develop a larger rocket, the Falcon 9, with NASA’s help. By 2012, the Dragon spacecraft became the first commercial spacecraft to deliver cargo to the International Space Station (ISS). This victory nearly doubled SpaceX’s private equity valuation.
Eight years later, on May 30, 2020, Falcon 9 launched the Crew Dragon, marking SpaceX’s first manned orbital flight. NASA certified the rocket for regular ISS missions, ending the US’s reliance on Russia’s Soyuz rockets.
Falcon Heavy
On February 6, 2018, the Falcon Heavy—SpaceX’s most powerful rocket—launched successfully. It generated over 5 million pounds of thrust, and its boosters returned to Earth, marking a new era of reusable rocket technology.
Starlink Satellites
The success of the Falcon Heavy allowed SpaceX to develop its Starlink network, which aims to provide global internet connectivity. By 2024, Starlink has over 2.4 million users and has played a crucial role in connecting Ukraine’s military during the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Inspiration4 and Civilian Spaceflight
Billionaire Jared Isaacman led the Inspiration4 mission, making history as the first all-civilian space crew. The mission raised over $243 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
SpaceX’s Future
SpaceX’s innovation continues at an accelerated pace, paving the way for regular space travel.
Starship and Mars: SpaceX is heavily investing in its Starship rocket, with plans to send humans to Mars and back. Musk envisions establishing a permanent human settlement on Mars in the 2030s.
Global Connectivity: The Starlink project aims to bridge the digital divide by offering high-speed internet through a constellation of satellites.
NASA Artemis Program: SpaceX is working with NASA to develop the lunar landing system for the Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the Moon by the mid-2020s.
Earth-to-Earth Travel: This early-stage project involves hypersonic travel between two points on Earth, with potential uses in parcel delivery and military defense.
Deep Space Exploration: With Starship nearing late-stage testing, deep space exploration is becoming more feasible, including refueling rockets in orbit.
SpaceX’s vertical integration—from manufacturing to services—positions it as a major force in the space economy. Morgan Stanley predicts that between 2023 and 2035, Starlink will have a compound annual growth rate of 26.6%, while the launch business will grow at 17.6%. By December 2023, SpaceX’s valuation had reached $180 billion, and in June 2024, it soared to a record $210 billion.
Conclusion
SpaceX’s successful commercial spacewalk is not just a technological milestone; it demonstrates the company’s leadership in commercial space operations and opens new revenue streams, from private space missions to space tourism and research contracts. These advancements bolster investor confidence, showing that SpaceX is on the right path toward its ultimate goals.
SpaceX is redefining what’s possible in space exploration, driven by Elon Musk’s bold vision. From pioneering commercial spacewalks to developing interplanetary travel, SpaceX continues to push the boundaries of human achievement. Whether connecting the globe through Starlink or sending humans to Mars, SpaceX promises to play a vital role in shaping humanity’s future in space.
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