Billionaire Jared Isaacman, the first individual to conduct a private spacewalk, recently shared that his experience was anything but “peaceful.” He likened it to the challenges faced by early explorers crossing the Atlantic Ocean.
Isaacman, who is also the founder of Shift4 Payments, completed the spacewalk during SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn mission, which returned to Earth on Sunday, according to Quartz.
In a conversation hosted on X Spaces, he reflected on his experience, saying, “Looking at Earth was obviously very, very special. But when you look off to the side into the darkness of space and see your spaceship there, it looks gritty, reminding you that this isn’t going to be easy.”
His comments follow SpaceX’s recent announcement of plans for an unmanned mission to Mars in two years, with aspirations to land humans on the planet within four years. Isaacman noted that staring into the vastness of space evokes feelings reminiscent of those experienced by explorers five centuries ago.
“You shouldn’t interpret that sense of danger and unwelcomeness as a deterrent,” he emphasized.
“It’s more about rising to the challenge, just as explorers have done throughout history.”
During its mission, the Polaris Dawn also conducted numerous scientific experiments to examine how space affects the human body, aiming to gather insights for creating a livable environment for future astronauts.
Isaacman’s adventurous spirit and willingness to confront the unknown highlight both the excitement and challenges of space exploration, underlining the significance of pushing boundaries in the quest for knowledge.
