Billionaire Jared Isaacman leads first-ever private spacewalk

On Tuesday morning (10), American billionaire Jared Isaacman embarked on a historic space mission aboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket. The mission, dubbed Polaris Dawn, is not only a technological feat, but also a personal milestone for Isaacman, who has always dreamed of exploring space.

Isaacman, 41, is the founder and CEO of Shift4 Payments, a payments processing company he started in his parents’ basement when he was 16. Today, the company processes a third of hotel and restaurant transactions in the United States, and his fortune is estimated at $1.8 billion.

_{Jared Isaacman Polaris Mission (Photo: Reproduction/Instagram/@polarisprogram)}

The reflection of aerial passion

Isaacman’s journey into space is a reflection of his passion for aerial adventure. In 2011, he founded Draken International, a company that trains Air Force pilots and owns the largest fleet of military aircraft in the world. The company was sold in 2019 for millions of dollars, further cementing Isaacman’s fortune.

_{Falcon 9 d takeoff SpaceX (Photo: Reproduction/Instagram/@spacex)}

The Polaris Dawn mission is special not only because of its leadership, but also because of its ambitious goal: to perform the first private spacewalk in history. The journey is expected to last five days and reach an altitude of 1,400 km, the furthest point from Earth reached by humans since the Apollo 1 program. In addition to Isaacman, three other crew members are on board, and two of them, including Isaacman, will leave the spacecraft to float in space 700 km above Earth.

Inspiring generations

Isaacman is not only a successful entrepreneur, but also a philanthropist. During the Covid-19 pandemic, he became a billionaire after taking Shift4 Payments public, and has since used his wealth to support a variety of social causes. His passion for space is matched by a desire to inspire the next generation of explorers and scientists.

The Polaris Dawn mission is a testament to Jared Isaacman’s indomitable spirit. He has not only reached for the stars figuratively, but now he is literally among them, showing that the sky is not the limit for those who dare to dream big.

Featured Photo: Billionaire Jared Isaacman (Photo: Skynews/AP)