Spacewalking is the New Domain of the Rich as Billionaire Attempts First Private Spacewalk

This illustration provided by SpaceX in 2024 depicts a spacewalk from the Dragon capsule. (SpaceX via AP)
This illustration provided by SpaceX in 2024 depicts a spacewalk from the Dragon capsule. (SpaceX via AP)
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Spacewalking is the New Domain of the Rich as Billionaire Attempts First Private Spacewalk

This illustration provided by SpaceX in 2024 depicts a spacewalk from the Dragon capsule. (SpaceX via AP)
This illustration provided by SpaceX in 2024 depicts a spacewalk from the Dragon capsule. (SpaceX via AP)

First came space tourism. Now comes an even bigger thrill for the monied masses: spacewalking.

The stage is set for the first private spacewalk Thursday. Tech billionaire Jared Isaacman will pop out of the hatch of his orbiting SpaceX capsule, two days after blasting off from Florida on a chartered flight that lifted him and his crew higher than anyone since NASA's moonwalkers. He partnered with SpaceX CEO Elon Musk to buy a series of rocket rides and help develop brand new spacesuits.

SpaceX is the first private company to attempt a spacewalk, until now the domain of just 12 countries. There’s a reason why it’s such a niche and elite group: Spacewalking is considered the most dangerous part of any flight after launch and reentry, and demands extensive training.

“Spacewalks are a whole different entire ballgame than just strapping into a rocket and riding it, getting some zero-g time and coming back,” said retired NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy, according to The AP.

Cassidy knows firsthand about the dangers of spacewalking: He was working outside the International Space Station in 2013 when his partner, Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano, almost drowned. Parmitano’s helmet filled with water from his cooling garment, and he barely made it back inside in time. Another 30 minutes that day and “the answer might be different,” Cassidy said.

Cassidy worries there’s “a slippery slope” where the wealthy could try to jump to the front of a spacewalking line with minimal training.

Risk and disaster analyst Ilan Kelman of University College London said it’s “appropriate and inevitable” that non-professionals will end up performing spacewalks. But he anticipates fatalities along the way.

“We can and should do plenty to reduce the risk,” said Kelman. "We must be entirely honest with anyone participating, especially the low chance of rescue when something major goes wrong.”

This spacewalk attempt won't be like what routinely happens at the International Space Station where astronauts float out to do repairs. Isaacman and SpaceX engineer Sarah Gillis will venture just barely outside the capsule as they soar about 450 miles (more than 700 kilometers) above Earth. Their orbit was initially twice that high, but reduced for the spacewalk.

Besides being new to spacewalking, the crew of four will test suits fresh off the factory floor. All will be exposed to the vacuum of space since the Dragon capsule, unlike larger space vehicles, lacks an airlock.

For Isaacman, throwing away the cabin atmosphere and then restoring it is the riskiest part of the endeavor.

“You can’t afford to get anything wrong along that journey or you sidetrack it,” Isaacman said. “We’re going out just long enough to do what we need to do to get the data."

The bulk of their training over the past two years has focused on the spacewalk, the highlight of their planned five-day flight. SpaceX put considerable preparation and testing into the capsule and suits, said SpaceX’s Bill Gerstenmaier, a former NASA manager.

For safety, Isaacman and Gillis will always keep a foot or hand on the capsule or the ladder-like support that they’ll position above the hatch. They will be tethered to 12-foot (3.6-meter) lines, but there will be no dangling at the end of them.

The duo will take turns emerging from the hatch, each spending 15 to 20 minutes outside as they flex and test their suits. Their crewmates — SpaceX engineer Anna Menon and former Air Force Thunderbird pilot Scott “Kidd” Poteet — will monitor the spacewalk from inside.

The entire spacewalk should last no more than two hours. Isaacman has refused to say how much he invested in the flight.

To date, 263 individuals representing a dozen countries have performed spacewalks, according to NASA statistics, led by Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov in 1965 with NASA’s Ed White close behind.



King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority Joins IUCN Green List

The Green List provides crucial guidelines for conservation and involving stakeholders in sustainable development processes - SPA
The Green List provides crucial guidelines for conservation and involving stakeholders in sustainable development processes - SPA
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King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority Joins IUCN Green List

The Green List provides crucial guidelines for conservation and involving stakeholders in sustainable development processes - SPA
The Green List provides crucial guidelines for conservation and involving stakeholders in sustainable development processes - SPA

The King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority has announced its inclusion in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Green List.
This recognition follows a comprehensive assessment of the reserve by IUCN experts, who evaluated the authority's environmental and developmental accomplishments, as well as its engagement with the community and preservation efforts, SPA reported.
Authority CEO Abdullah Al-Amer emphasized the significance of this milestone, stating: "Since its establishment, the authority has pursued strategies, development plans, and innovative initiatives to fulfill its core objectives. Through these endeavors, we have successfully met all the key criteria and indicators for joining the IUCN Green List."
Al-Amer attributed this to the support lent by the Saudi leadership and the guidance from Minister of Interior and Chairman of the authority Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz.
Inclusion in the Green List adds to the authority's local and global successes, including receiving the Biodiversity Certificate and designating five critical bird sites within the King Salman bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve.
Al-Amer stressed that making it on the list is testimony to an effective reserve management and focus on natural resource growth; it now facilitates the growth of over 550 plant species.
The authority's initiatives include planting 2.4 million native tree and shrub seedlings, as well as four tons of local seeds like yarrow (Achillea millefolium), Artemisia, and Haloxylon.
Efforts have been made to restore 250,000 hectares of degraded habitats and relocate 1,235 wildlife species like Arabian oryx, sand gazelles, Arabian gazelles, and Arabian leopards in the reserve.
The authority's achievements are due to its strategic objectives; being on the Green List is a key milestone.
This authority is determined to manage protected areas through sustainable programs focused on environmental conservation, community engagement, and sustainable development, in line with international standards.