SpaceX is gearing up for a groundbreaking launch on Tuesday, as an all-civilian crew prepares for an ambitious orbital mission that includes the first-ever spacewalk conducted by private citizens. The mission, known as Polaris Dawn, marks a significant milestone in the evolving landscape of space exploration.
Organized by billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman, the Polaris Dawn mission is scheduled for liftoff from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center at 3:38 am (0738 GMT). The mission has backup windows later in the morning and on Wednesday, with weather conditions currently looking favorable. SpaceX will provide a live webcast of the event.
The mission will see the SpaceX Dragon capsule, carried by a Falcon 9 rocket, reach an altitude of 870 miles (1,400 kilometers), the highest for any crewed mission since the Apollo era. This altitude is nearly three times higher than the International Space Station’s orbit, positioning the crew briefly within the Van Allen radiation belt, a zone filled with high-energy particles that can pose risks to human health.
Jared Isaacman, who also commanded the first all-civilian orbital mission, Inspiration4, in 2021, will lead the Polaris Dawn team. Joining him are retired US Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Scott Poteet, and SpaceX engineers Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon, both of whom serve as mission specialists. The crew has undergone over two years of intense training, including skydiving, scuba diving, and summiting an Ecuadoran volcano, to prepare for the mission.
The highlight of the mission will be the first commercial spacewalk, during which the crew will test newly developed SpaceX extravehicular activity (EVA) suits. These advanced suits feature heads-up displays, helmet cameras, and enhanced mobility systems. The spacewalk is scheduled for day three of the mission, with two crew members exiting the Dragon capsule at a time, while the other two remain inside. Notably, the capsule lacks an airlock, meaning those inside will also be exposed to the vacuum of space during the EVA.
In addition to the spacewalk, the crew will conduct nearly 40 scientific experiments to advance knowledge in human health during long-duration spaceflights. One experiment involves contact lenses embedded with microelectronics to monitor changes in eye pressure and shape.
Polaris Dawn is the first of three missions under the Polaris program, a collaboration between Isaacman and SpaceX. The second mission will also utilize a Dragon capsule, while the third mission will be the maiden crewed flight of SpaceX’s next-generation Starship rocket, which is central to Elon Musk’s vision of human colonization of Mars.
The mission will conclude with a splashdown off the coast of Florida after six days in space, where a SpaceX recovery ship will be on standby.
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