The Return of the Polaris Dawn Crew: Earthbound After a Groundbreaking Expedition

The Polaris Dawn crew made a triumphant return to Earth in the early hours of Sunday, marking the‌ end of their groundbreaking ‍privately funded mission. The Dragon capsule safely brought ‍back the four ‌astronauts – Jared Isaacman,⁤ Scott “Kidd” Poteet, Sarah Gillis, and ⁤Anna Menon – as it splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico at approximately 3:30AM⁢ ET.

Dragon’s splashdown confirmed! Welcome home to Earth, @rookisaacman, @kiddpoteet, @Gillis_SarahE, @annawmenon pic.twitter.com/nILpMQh2sR

— SpaceX⁤ (@SpaceX) September ⁢15, 2024

During their mission on Thursday, Isaacman and Gillis⁢ achieved a‌ significant milestone by conducting the first commercial ⁤spacewalk. Both ⁣astronauts ventured out of the craft to undergo spacesuit mobility tests. Notably, Gillis and Menon have ⁤now set a new ‌record for being⁣ the women who have traveled‌ farthest from Earth. The Polaris mission reached an impressive ‌altitude of around 870 miles – surpassing any human venture since the Apollo program.

In addition to these⁣ achievements, the crew conducted various scientific experiments and even‌ managed to ⁤capture a ⁤captivating 40-minute video…

2024-09-15 09:20:28
Original source www.engadget.com