Billionaires' new fixation is taking a “walk” in space

Soon, American entrepreneur Jared Isaacman will complete what has been described as the first "spacewalk" by a private individual. Thanks to the Polaris Dawn mission, carried out in collaboration with SpaceX, Isaacman and three other travel companions will venture beyond Earth's orbit: since the missions to reach the Moon, humans have not ventured so far. Specifically, Polaris Dawn is the first crewed mission to travel so far from Earth since Apollo 17, the last mission of the U.S. space program that reached the Moon in 1972. Moreover, to date, only a few NASA, European Space Agency (ESA), and other countries' astronauts have performed what are informally called "spacewalks." These are highly dangerous and complex operations where one essentially finds themselves in the near-total void of space, for example, to carry out maintenance work on orbital stations. The vice president of SpaceX has called spacewalks "a risky adventure," but said both the company and the mission participants are ready and adequately prepared. "Whatever risk is associated with it, it is worth it," commented Isaacman himself, who is no stranger to space. In 2021, he already reached "low" Earth orbit, where many space stations and satellites are located, thanks to the Inspiration4 mission – one of the first to be entirely private and commercial in nature, so much so that there were no professional astronauts aboard.

What the Polaris Dawn mission entails

As was the case with Inspiration4, Polaris Dawn was also funded by Isaacman himself, who became extremely wealthy thanks to his electronic payment company, Shift4 Payments. However, the costs of the mission have not been disclosed – it is believed to be in the range of tens of millions of dollars. Along with Isaacman are two SpaceX employees, while the fourth crew member is a former U.S. Air Force pilot and longtime friend of Isaacman. The "spacewalk" will be the most important part of the mission and required years of training, both for the preparation of Isaacman and his travel companions and for the construction of the innovative spacesuits used. Polaris Dawn will also serve primarily to test numerous pieces of equipment developed by SpaceX in recent years, including new spacesuits designed to perform spacewalks more efficiently and comfortably. Specifically, the company announced last May that it was testing a new generation of suits, lighter and easier to use, compared to those typically used by NASA. During the mission, many other experiments will also be conducted, collectively assessing the effects of prolonged space exposure on the human body. Polaris Dawn's journey will conclude within five days, but Isaacman and SpaceX have at least two more missions planned – partly depending on the objectives achieved this time.

Why extreme luxury tourism is booming

In recent years, the extreme luxury tourism sector has grown significantly. Agencies and companies offering these types of experiences usually provide the opportunity to visit extremely remote and inhospitable locations, once accessible to only a few people, without sacrificing comfort. For example, Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos' company, offers the chance to spend a few minutes beyond Earth's atmosphere thanks to its launch system. Virgin Galactic offers the same experience at a cost of $450,000 per person. Through the U.S. agency Madison Mountaineering, it is possible to climb Everest for about $100,000, while enjoying a base camp with hot showers and many other perks – including yoga sessions and gourmet meals. Even Antarctica has become a popular destination for the ultra-rich: the company White Desert Antarctica offers a variety of experiences starting from South Africa, in structures similar to igloos – but equipped with luxury furnishings.

Attention and concerns about extreme luxury tourism significantly increased following the incident involving the Titan, the submarine that set out to explore the wreck of the Titanic and went missing in the depths of the Atlantic. Just over a year later, the underwater tourism sector – which due to its exorbitant costs is mostly targeted at the ultra-rich – is already recovering, once again appealing to billionaires. One reason is that companies offering these experiences avoid overly highlighting the risks travelers face, specifying them only in contractual terms. The same goes for the significant environmental impact generated. In marketing terms, however, great emphasis is placed on the comfort and other positive aspects of the offerings, which continue to generate great allure – especially for those who can afford them and are looking for extraordinary experiences.