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An unprecedented space mission will launch in the coming days from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Polaris DawnThe first mission of its kind will use a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket to launch a Crew Dragon capsule carrying four private astronauts for a five-day orbit.
The mission is a follow-up of sorts to a private 2021 mission called Inspiration4, which was also backed by billionaire Jared Isaacman, the founder and CEO of the data company Shift4. Polaris Dawn has been in the works for several years; at one point, there was talk of sending a crew to extend the life of the Hubble Space Telescope.
This new mission is not that. Instead, the crew will attempt the first private astronaut spacewalk, using space suit technology developed by SpaceX. They will also test laser-based communications with satellite broadband provider Starlink as part of an effort to pave the way for travel to places like Mars. Starlink is a subsidiary of SpaceX, which is owned by Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
The risks are not negligible: the crew will be attempting to reach the highest Earth orbit ever recorded and will be passing through heavy radiation and risking potentially significant damage from small space rocks and rubble.
When does the Polaris Dawn mission begin?
After a series of launch delays, The launch of the Polaris Dawn mission is now scheduled no earlier than Monday, September 9, according to the Kennedy Space Center and the Federal Aviation Administration.
The original launch date in the last week of August was cancelled to “take a closer look at a ground-side helium leak in the Quick Disconnect umbilical”, SpaceX said on the social network X (formerly Twitter). A day later, the Polaris Dawn team withdrew again “due to adverse weather in Dragon’s splashdown area off the coast of Florida,” the company said.
Isaacman posted on X that the launch team Assess the circumstances day by dayThe potential launch dates of the first week of September have now passed.
“The safety of the crew is of the utmost importance and this mission carries more risks than usual as this is the furthest journey humans have made from Earth since Apollo and the first commercial spacewalk!” Musk placed on X, which he owns. “If concerns arise, the launch will be delayed until those concerns are addressed.”
How can I watch and follow the Polaris Dawn mission?
In addition to news items, you can find updates about Polaris Dawn on the website of the mission, X, Instagram And Flickrwhere photos of the mission will be posted.
Who’s going on the mission?
The crew consists of four members. They are:
Jared Isaakmanthe CEO of Shift4 who is reportedly spending hundreds of millions of dollars on the mission, where he will serve as mission commander. Isaacman was also on the Inspiration4 mission in 2021.
Sarah GillisSpaceX’s senior operations engineer, who trained NASA astronauts and will serve as a mission specialist for Polaris Dawn. Along with Isaacman, she will be one of two crew members conducting the spacewalk.
Scott Poteetwho served as Inspiration4’s mission director, is a former U.S. Air Force fighter pilot. He will provide communications and spacewalk assistance during the mission.
Anna Menon is a chief engineer for space operations at SpaceX and will be responsible for crew health during Polaris Dawn.
What do they hope to achieve with this mission?
In addition to the spacewalk, which Isaacman and Gillis will conduct as the first private astronauts, the mission will also test laser communications with Starlink and conduct a series of biological and human endurance tests. according to the Polaris Dawn website.
The spacecraft is expected to a track of 870 miles above Earth, just shy of the 853-mile altitude record set by the Gemini XI mission in 1966, according to The New York Times. For comparison, the International Space Station orbits at about 250 miles.
If successful, Polaris Dawn would be the first of three missions, the next two of which would use the new SpaceX technology. Spaceship rocket.
Correction, August 28: An earlier version of this article incorrectly named Jared Isaacman’s company. He is CEO of Shift4.
