[13][14] Originally slated to fly in late 2022, the program suffered delays over the design of the EVA spacesuits and technical problems with SpaceX testing inter-satellite laser communication links.

[25] SpaceX pushed the launch date back a day to 27 August in order to allow "additional time for teams to complete preflight" checkouts.

[32][33] After a series of further delays—mostly related to capsule recovery weather conditions in the landing zones five days following launch—Polaris Dawn was launched on 10 September 2024.

Flame-resistant, stretching fabric and soft joints provide mobility, while boots are made from the same thermal material used on Falcon 9's interstage and Dragon's trunk.

[36][37] Due to the unique depressurization protocol, the crew conducted research on decompression sickness and spaceflight associated neuro-ocular syndrome (SANS).

[39] To validate their procedures, SpaceX subjected Resilience to multiple cycles of venting and repressurization in a large vacuum chamber.

[41] Within an hour of launch, the crew began a pre-breathing protocol to reduce nitrogen in their bodies and minimize the risk of decompression sickness during the planned spacewalk on day three.

[42] Over three days, the cabin pressure gradually decreased from 14.5 to 8.6 pounds per square inch (100 to 59 kPa) while oxygen levels increased.

[45] On flight day two, the Dragon's apogee was lowered to its "cruising orbit" of 730 kilometers (450 mi) while the crew prepared their EVA suits and conducted experiments.

After extensive preparations, all four crew members donned their EVA suits, which are pressurized with 100% oxygen at 5.1 pounds per square inch (35 kPa).

[47][48] During the EVA, Isaacman and Gillis performed several tests of their suit mobility including trials of hand/body control, vertical movement, and using a foot restraint, only their lower legs were still inside the spacecraft.

[49][50] The capsule splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico near Florida's Dry Tortugas islands on 15 September 2024 at 07:36:54 UTC (3:36:54 am EDT, local time at the landing site).

Gillis is the company's senior space operations engineer who leads crew training for private spaceflight missions, she joined Isaacman on the spacewalk.

She has six years of experience as a biomedical flight controller at NASA, where she oversaw International Space Station operations, including several spacewalks.

Because the mission would not rendezvous with the International Space Station and had limited life support consumables, the capsule had to be able to splash down as scheduled, which made favorable weather conditions a must.