London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jun 20, 2025

Billionaire commissions three more SpaceX flights and plans first private spacewalk

Billionaire commissions three more SpaceX flights and plans first private spacewalk

Jared Isaacman plans to break new ground and fly farther into space than any non-lunar crewed spacecraft has done since 1966.

Jared Isaacman, the billionaire space tourist who led the first all-civilian mission to space, has commissioned three more trips with SpaceX - and plans to conduct a spacewalk on one of them.

The first of these flights could take place by the end of the year and will send the four-person crew further from the Earth than any other human spaceflight since the moon missions.

Both it and the second flight will use SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft, but the third flight is expected to use Starship - which combined with the first stage, known as Super Heavy, will form the largest and most powerful launch vehicle ever assembled.

Mr Isaacman previously went into space with Sian Proctor, Hayley Arceneaux and Chris Sembroski


Speaking to the Washington Post, Mr Isaacman said he hoped the additional flights would "serve the bigger purpose of opening up space for everyone and making humankind a multiplanetary species and, ideally, have a benefit for the things we’re trying to accomplish back here on Earth".

Mr Isaacman and his fellow amateur astronauts orbited the planet every 90 minutes at a speed of more than 17,000mph and an altitude of up to 363 miles during their mission last year, higher than the International Space Station and Hubble Telescope.

The trip raised more than $125m (£92m) for St Jude's Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.

He said he hopes to break new ground with the next trip by travelling to an altitude greater than any human has gone to since 1966, and has called the missions Polaris after the North Star.

The third mission will launch in SpaceX's new Starship spacecraft


The first launch will be called Polaris Dawn and is planned to feature the first all-civilian spacewalk, but SpaceX's Dragon capsule doesn't have an airlock.

As such the astronauts will be required to wear pressurised spacesuits and sit and wait while the cabin is depressurised before they open the hatch and float in space while tethered to the inside.

The crew for the first flight has already been selected. Alongside Mr Isaacman it includes Scott Potent, a former Air Force pilot who assisted with his previous mission, and two of SpaceX's engineers, Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon.

Mrs Menon's husband Anil Menon has recently been selected by NASA to join its astronaut corps. She is likely to beat her husband into space.

SpaceX also plans to launch the first ever private lunar mission in 2023, taking Japanese entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa in a fly-by of the Moon during a week-long journey.

"This flight is an important step toward enabling access for people who dream of traveling to space," the company states.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
UK Home Secretary Apologizes Over Child Grooming Failures
Trump Organization Launches 5G Mobile Network and Golden Handset
Towcester Hosts 2025 English Greyhound Derby Amid Industry Scrutiny
Gary Oldman and David Beckham Knighted in King's Birthday Honours
Over 30,000 Lightning Strikes Recorded Across UK During Overnight Storms
Princess of Wales Returns to Public Duties at Trooping the Colour
Red Arrows Use Sustainable Fuel in Historic Trooping the Colour Flypast
Former Welsh First Minister Addresses Unionist Concerns Over Irish Language
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
France Bars Israeli Arms Companies from Paris Defense Expo
King Charles Leads Tribute to Air India Crash Victims at Trooping the Colour
Jack Pitchford Embarks on 200-Mile Walk to Support Stem Cell Charity
Surrey Hikers Take on Challenge of Climbing 11 Peaks in a Single Day
UK Deploys RAF Jets to Middle East Amid Israel-Iran Tensions
Two Skydivers Die in 'Tragic Accident' at Devon Airfield
Sainsbury's and Morrisons Accused of Displaying Prohibited Tobacco Ads
UK Launches National Inquiry into Grooming Gangs
Families Seek Closure After Air India Crash
Gold Emerges as Global Safe Haven Amid Uncertainty
Trump Reports $57 Million Earnings from Crypto Venture
Trump's Military Parade Sparks Concerns Over Authoritarianism
Nationwide 'No Kings' Protests Challenge Trump's Leadership
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
Germany Holds First Veterans Celebration Since WWII
U.S. Health Secretary Dismisses CDC Vaccine Advisory Committee
Minnesota Lawmaker Melissa Hortman and Husband Killed in Targeted Attack; Senator John Hoffman and Wife Injured
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
×