SpaceX crew returns to Earth after historic mission

The Polaris Dawn crew from SpaceX has successfully returned to Earth after an exciting five-day mission in space. This mission was particularly significant as it featured the first-ever commercial spacewalk. The Dragon capsule made its splashdown off the coast of Florida at 03:37 local time, and SpaceX announced the successful landing on social media, stating, 'Splashdown of Dragon confirmed! Welcome back to Earth. ' NASA, the United States space agency, praised the mission, calling it 'a giant leap forward' for the commercial space industry. During their time in space, the crew engaged in numerous important activities. One of the astronauts was seen waving at the crowd while wearing her white-and-grey spacesuit, standing proudly in front of the Dragon capsule. Meanwhile, two other crew members were busy conducting instrument checks in the cockpit as they prepared for landing. They were focused on the large screens in front of them, ensuring everything was functioning correctly. Just before the capsule re-entered Earth's atmosphere, the heat shield closed to protect it from the extreme temperatures it would encounter. As the spacecraft descended, it reached temperatures of 1,900 degrees Celsius due to the intense pressure and friction from traveling at around 7,000 miles per hour. The four-member civilian crew was led by billionaire Jared Isaacman, who financed the mission. They traveled farther into space than any humans have in over fifty years. The team included Scott Poteet, a retired US Air Force pilot, and SpaceX employees Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon. Notably, Isaacman and Gillis became the first non-professional astronauts to perform a spacewalk, a challenging maneuver that required them to leave the spacecraft without an airlock. Prior to this mission, only astronauts from government-funded space agencies had attempted such a feat. Live images showed the two crew members emerging from the Dragon capsule, floating 435 miles above the Earth. They achieved a height greater than any humans have flown since the last Apollo mission in 1972. As they descended, Isaacman communicated with mission control in Hawthorne, California, stating, 'Back at home we all have a lot of work to do, but from here — looks like a perfect world. ' The crew had to be cautious during the spacewalk since the Dragon capsule does not have an airlock, exposing them to the vacuum of space. This historic spacewalk was made possible by innovative astronaut suits equipped with advanced technology. Throughout their five days in orbit, the crew conducted over 40 experiments, including studies on the effects of space travel on human health and testing inter-satellite laser communication between the Dragon spacecraft and SpaceX's Starlink satellites. Gillis, who is also a trained violinist, brought her instrument along and performed 'Rey’s Theme' from 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' while in space. This performance was transmitted back to Earth using SpaceX’s Starlink as a demonstration of the satellite network’s potential for providing connectivity in space. The mission was also a fundraising effort for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, with the Polaris Program raising money throughout the journey. The crew launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and spent a total of five days aboard the Dragon spacecraft, named Resilience. They made history by reaching a maximum altitude of 1,400 kilometers, which is higher than any human has flown since the final Apollo mission in 1972. Polaris Dawn is the first of three planned missions in a collaboration between Isaacman and SpaceX, which will include the first manned flight of a new spacecraft that is still under development.