After taking part in the first-ever civilian spacewalk, the Polaris Dawn flight crew performed the first-ever violin solo in space, fittingly playing the “Star Wars” theme.
After a historic jaunt outside the spacecraft with billionaire Jared Isaacman on Thursday, SpaceX engineer Sarah Gilles serenaded the crew and the world with a rendition of John Williams' “Rey's Theme” from “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” on her violin.
Space Concerto video The video shows Gilles floating inside a SpaceX Dragon capsule in the weightlessness of space, his hair standing on end and playing the film's theme song.
While her playing was synchronized with orchestras from around the world to complete the ensemble, Gilles' parts were heard in real time only by the three-man crew, who were smiling at the concert of a lifetime.
Polaris Dawn called the solo “Harmony of Resilience” and it was created in partnership with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and El Sistema as a way to use music to lift the spirits of the children they serve.
“Inspired by the universal language of music and the tireless fight against childhood cancer and childhood diseases, this moment was created with the hope of inspiring the next generation to look up at the stars,” the Polaris program said in a statement.
The Polaris flight was packed with firsts, including a spacewalk, a solo violin performance and traveling further into space than any astronaut had traveled since the 1972 Apollo missions.
SpaceX's capsule did not have an airlock during Thursday's spacewalk, which also marked the first time all four astronauts were exposed to the vacuum of space at the same time.
Isaacman and Gilles were the only two people to enter or leave the capsule; mission director Anna Mellon and retired Air Force Lt. Col. Scott Kidd-Poteet remained on board to monitor the situation.
After the mission, which also tested SpaceX's new spacesuits, the Polaris crew landed safely on Earth on Sunday, ending their five-day journey.
The spacecraft landed in the Gulf of Mexico near Dry Tortugas, Florida, and the crew was rescued by authorities within an hour of arrival.
