How did billionaire, Jared Isaacman, first-ever private spacewalk ...

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How did billionaire, Jared Isaacman, first-ever private spacewalk, make his money?

American billionaire Jared Isaacman completes his historic SpaceX Polaris Dawn private spacewalk and gives emotional first words: ‘From here Earth sure looks like a perfect world’. But who is Jared Isaacman, how did he make his money and who and when did he go in to space with.

But it was no easy start for Jared, who was a high school dropout living in his parents’ basement in New Jersey, with little money and no business before he became a tech billionaire.

“I was a horrible student,” Isaacman admitted in the Netflix docuseries “Countdown: Inspiration4 Mission to Space.” “And I wasn’t, like, happy in school, either.”

Two astronauts aboard a SpaceX capsule in Earth’s orbit made history by completing the first-ever private spacewalk, the first of three planned missions in the Polaris program. They were securely tethered to the Crew Dragon spacecraft, while two of their colleagues observed from inside, all taking place over 400 miles above our planet. Led by a billionaire commander Jared Isaacman, this was the first ever privately funded spacewalk – in a mission with many dangers and risks.

The inaugural privately funded spacewalk was a thrilling spectacle from beginning to end. An incredible 434.9 miles below him was planet Earth. With the air evacuated from the Dragon capsule and the hatch opened to the vastness of space, we witnessed the billionaire behind the Polaris Dawn mission as he made his way outside, showcasing the stunning view of Earth below.  Jared Isaacman stood at the door, always close to the safety of handrails and tethered by an umbilical cable to his life support systems.

Nonetheless, this was a momentous occasion. Until now, only astronauts from government-funded space agencies had exited a space capsule. Now, a commercial operator has joined their ranks. The primary goal was to test new SpaceX suits designed for private missions to the Moon and Mars. We observed Commander Isaacman as he twisted, turned, and moved his arms, demonstrating the mobility necessary for working in space. He was followed by SpaceX employee Sarah Gillis, who conducted the same checks, ensuring that the suit was also suitable for women. The suit is much sleeker compared to the bulky protective gear worn by astronauts during their excursions outside the International Space Station. Importantly, the SpaceX suit can be produced on a large scale. Elon Musk envisions thousands being made for the many privately funded astronauts he anticipates will travel to Mars in the coming years. The tests appeared to be successful. However, a spacewalk is inherently risky, especially when conducted from a capsule not originally designed for such activities.

Jared Isaacman is an American entrepreneur, pilot, philanthropist, and commercial astronaut. He established Draken International, a private air force company, and serves as the founder and CEO of Shift4 Payments, a payment processing firm. As of September 2024, his net worth is estimated to be around $1.9 billion.

In 1999, Isaacman established a retail payment processing firm called United Bank Card, which later became known as Harbortouch, a point-of-sale payment company located in Pennsylvania. He served as the founding CEO and continued in that position in 2015, with the company having “been profitable for over a decade [while processing] US$11 billion a year from 60,000 merchants, generating US$300 million in revenues.” By 2020, the company had rebranded to Shift4 Payments, with Isaacman still at the helm, and it was handling US$200 billion in payments each year. In 2012, he also co-founded Draken International, a Florida-based organization dedicated to training pilots for the United States Armed Forces. Draken boasts one of the largest fleets of privately owned fighter jets in the world.

Isaacman is a skilled pilot with qualifications to fly various military jet aircraft. He co-founded the Black Diamond Jet Team in 2010 and has showcased his flying talents at airshows. In 2008, he made his first attempt to break the world record for flying around the globe in a light jet, completing the journey in 83 hours, just shy of the existing record of 82 hours. In April 2009, during his second attempt, he successfully set a new world record for circumnavigating the globe in a light jet, finishing the flight in 61 hours, 51 minutes, and 15 seconds—about 20 hours quicker than the previous record. This record-setting flight was also a fundraising effort for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of New Jersey. He piloted a Cessna Citation CJ2 alongside two crew members, bypassing stops in India and Japan, where he had faced significant delays during his earlier attempt in 2008.

In February 2021, Isaacman revealed that he would take on the role of commander for Inspiration4, marking the first private human spaceflight with a crew entirely made up of non-government individuals. The mission was conducted by SpaceX, utilizing an autonomous Crew Dragon spacecraft that was launched by a Falcon 9 rocket.

Isaacman made history during the Inspiration4 mission by placing the first-ever sports bet from space. He placed two NFL football bets with the BetMGM Sportsbook while orbiting above Las Vegas.

In 2004, Isaacman started his journey into aviation by taking flying lessons. By 2009, he achieved a remarkable feat by setting a world record for flying around the globe. He earned his bachelor’s degree in professional aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 2011. Though he identifies as Jewish, he doesn’t practice the religion extensively. Isaacman is happily married and is the proud father of two daughters. He resides in Washington Township, New Jersey.