Polaris Dawn: SpaceX gears up for historic private spacewalk
SpaceX is ready for the historic launch of the Polaris Dawn mission, which will include a four-person crew of astronauts. The mission, which after numerous delays is scheduled for Tuesday, 9 October 2024, will set not only a new distance record from our planet but also feature the first private spacewalk in history!
The Polaris Dawn mission, in addition to the ambitious goal of reaching over 1,400 kilometres (km) above Earth, which is more than twice the average orbit of the International Space Station, has also planned a series of 36 scientific experiments.
These experiments will include studying the effects of space on the human body, attempting to image astronauts' brains using magnetic resonance imaging, attempting to take X-ray pictures without using a camera by utilising natural streams of radiation dispersing in space, and conducting tests of communication based on Starlink laser links.
Led by billionaire Jared Isaacman, who already commanded the first all-civilian spaceflight, Inspiration4, in 2021, the mission is set to launch from the Kennedy Space Center at NASA in Florida.
First private spacewalk in history
Due to unfavourable weather the launch has been rescheduled to 16:23 GMT, when the next window opens - SpaceX reported on social media. Originally, it was supposed to launch at 13:38 GMT.
The mission is planned to last five days. One of its key elements is scheduled for the third day. It is then that the first commercial spacewalk in history will take place, at an altitude of approximately 700 km above Earth.
The crew, which includes SpaceX space operations engineer Sarah Gillis and space medicine physician Anna Menon, will be testing in space a new design of improved SpaceX spacesuits. Training included parachute jumps, centrifuge training, medical preparations, and simulations.
Polaris Dawn is the first of three planned missions of the Polaris Program, aimed at the rapid development of human capabilities in space while supporting important goals on Earth. The mission aims to combine space exploration with caring for the future on Earth.
As reported by ScienceAlert, the Polaris Dawn mission may soon write a new chapter in the history of space exploration, proving how private pioneering ventures can lead to scientific progress and significant discoveries.
