FIRST COMMERCIAL SPACEWALKS BY POLARIS DAWN CREW, Sept 12, 2024, Earth orbit, 5:58 am ET

Update, Sept 12, 1:30 am ET:  SpaceX just posted on its website that the spacewalks are postponed a few hours to 5:58 am ET.  Webcast begins an hour in advance.

Original Entry: The Polaris Dawn private astronaut crew will conduct the first commercial spacewalks or extravehicular activities (EVAs) on September 12, 2024 beginning at 2:23 am ET according to SpaceX. A backup opportunity is available the next day at the same time.

Jared Isaacman and Sarah Gillis will sequentially move outside the SpaceX Crew Dragon Resilience in their SpaceX-designed spacesuits and stand in a specially-designed frame attached to the hatch.  They will have tethers, and umbilicals to supply air. Crew Dragon does not have an airlock so the entire capsule must be depressurized. The other two crew members, Scott “Kidd” Poteet and Anna Menon, also will be in EVA suits, but will not go outside.

The entire event is expected to take place over two hours. Isaacman and Gillis will be outside for 15-20 minutes each moving their bodies in various directions to test the flexibility of the spacesuits.

SpaceX will livestream the event beginning about one hour in advance. Watch on SpaceX’s website or @SpaceX on X.