After a mission of firsts, SpaceX Polaris Dawn crew returns safely to Earth

After an expected blackout period while the Dragon spacecraft reentered the Earth's atmosphere, images of drogue chutes deploying appeared on the SpaceX live stream. This was followed by the opening of the main parachutes minutes later as the spacecraft carrying the Polaris Dawn crew slowed its decent towards the water early Sunday.

Cheers erupted from the SpaceX employees in mission control at Hawthorne, California.

After accomplishing a number of space industry firsts, including the first-ever private astronaut spacewalk, the Polaris Dawn crew's Dragon spacecraft slashed down at 3:36 a.m. EDT Sunday morning off the coast of Dry Tortugas, Florida. Dry Tortugas is a small island located about 70 miles west of Key West in the Gulf of Mexico.

This splashdown comes three years to the day on which the Inspiration4 mission had launched − which Polaris Dawn commander Jared Isaacman also led and funded. Inspiration4 was the first all civilian mission to orbit the Earth.

Launched to space on Tuesday, Sept. 10, the SpaceX Polaris Dawn mission reached an altitude of 1,400.7 km or 870.35 miles, the furthest distance reached by humans in 52 years. Since the last NASA mission to the moon, Apollo 17, astronauts have orbited the Earth on spacecraft and space stations in low Earth orbit. For example, the International Space Station orbits at approximately 250 miles above Earth.

Polaris Dawn also carried out the first spacewalk by private astronauts. Traditionally only government astronauts, such as from NASA and the Russian and Chinese space agencies, carry out spacewalks. Polaris Dawn also marked the first time a private space company debuted their own spacesuit for spacewalks − also known as EVAs (extravehicular activities). SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft does not have an airlock, therefore all four crew members relied on their spacesuits when the spacecraft hatch was opened.

Polaris Dawn activities

Beyond Isaacman, the mission's crew included pilot Scott "Kidd" Poteet, mission specialist/medical officer Anna Menon and and mission specialist Sarah Gillis.

Gillis and Menon also broke a current record for the furthest a female astronaut has traveled into space. However, this is set to change next year when Christina Koch travels to lunar orbit onboard NASA's Artemis II.

The crew carried out multiple experiments studying astronaut health, and tested Starlink laser communication. Multiple calls to Earth were made. The crew met with Folds of Honor on 9/11 and Menon read her children's book, Kisses from Space.

Gillis played her violin for a recording as El Sistema students from around the world played along. El Sistema is an organization that works to provide music education to children. The musical, Harmony of Resilience, supported St. Jude Children's Hospital.

Brooke Edwards is a Space Reporter for Florida Today. Contact her at bedwards@floridatoday.com or on X: @brookeofstars.