Tech billionaire emerges from capsule in 1st civilian spacewalk in history – National [Video]

A silhouetted figure stands in stark contrast against the bright blue of planet Earth, his torso emerging from a space capsule hundreds of kilometres above the atmosphere.

The man is Jared Isaacman, a tech billionaire who became the first civilian in history to perform a commercial spacewalk. Before today, the only people who could attempt such a high-risk endeavour had been professional astronauts, plucked from the ranks of fighter pilots and highly educated scientists.

Isaacman is the first person in what may prove to be a long line of civilians to walk in the cold expanse of space using dollars and industry connections alone, bypassing national space agencies.

The spacewalk was quick and simple, lasting less than two hours. Isaacman, the founder of a credit-card-processing company, exited SpaceX’s Dragon capsule first. He hoisted himself up through the hatch and marvelled at Earth, 740 kilometres below.

“Back at home, we …