A SpaceX Dragon capsule carrying the four-person crew of the Polaris Dawn mission successfully launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on September 10, following a series of delays. The mission, which was initially scheduled to lift off in late August, was postponed due to technical issues and unfavorable weather conditions forecasted for the crew’s return.
On board the spacecraft are billionaire Jared Isaacman, who funded the mission, as well as retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Scott “Kidd” Poteet, and SpaceX engineers Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon. During their five-day journey, the crew will attempt to achieve several historic milestones, including the first-ever commercial spacewalk.
This spacewalk will also mark the first time a Dragon capsule has been used for an extravehicular activity. The Polaris Dawn mission aims to push the boundaries of space travel, targeting an altitude of approximately 870 miles above the Earth’s surface, farther than any human has traveled since the Apollo program. The crew will briefly venture into the Van Allen radiation belt during their journey.
The Polaris Dawn mission is the first of three planned human spaceflight missions under Isaacman’s Polaris Program. The crew will put SpaceX’s new Extravehicular Activity space suit to the test, wearing it during the spacewalk to protect themselves from the harsh conditions of space. The spacewalk is scheduled to take place at an elliptical orbit about 870 miles above the Earth’s surface, with two crew members venturing outside the Dragon capsule.
