Polaris Dawn Crew Reaches Record Altitude with SpaceX Dragon
Polaris Dawn, a private space mission, has set a new record for the highest orbit reached by humans since NASA’s Apollo program. On Sept. 10, 2024, the four-person Polaris Dawn crew aboard SpaceX’s Dragon Resilience spacecraft reached an apogee of 877.2 miles (1,400.7 kilometers). This surpasses the 1966 Gemini 11 mission’s altitude of 857 miles (1,373 kilometers), marking the greatest distance humans have traveled since the last moon landing more than 50 years ago. After lifting off from Florida at 5:23 a.m. EDT (09:23 GMT), the spacecraft orbited the Earth eight times before reaching its highest point.
A historic achievement
The crew, led by billionaire Polaris Dawn mission commander Jared Isaacman, includes pilot Scott “Kidd” Poteet and SpaceX employees Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon. Isaacman emphasized that Gillis and Menon are now a file as the women who have traveled the furthest from Earth. The crew’s mission was focused on collecting data on the effects of space conditions on human health and spacecraft systems, passing through parts of the Van Allen radiation belt, a region where charged particles accumulate.
Scientific purpose
The altitude record was set to help SpaceX continue its research in preparation for future deep space missions. By exposing the Resilience spacecraft to different levels of radiation, scientists hope to better understand the impact on both the human body and modern space technology.
The mission will also test how touchscreens and digital displays behave under such conditions, something that has never been done before at this altitude.
Tribute to past achievements
In honor of NASA’s Gemini 11 astronauts, Charles “Pete” Conrad and Richard “Dick” Gordon, the Polaris Dawn crew wore a medallion resembling the Gemini 11 patch. The medallion was auctioned off in support of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, continuing the legacy of space exploration for the public good.
