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