The skies are buzzing with excitement as four non-professional astronauts are currently making history aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, orbiting Earth as part of the Polaris Dawn mission. Leading the charge is Jared Isaacman, the billionaire businessman who has generously funded this ambitious undertaking. Alongside him are Scott Poteet, a retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel, and SpaceX engineers Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon.
This five-day mission is breaking new ground in space exploration, setting a precedent with the first-ever commercial spacewalk, scheduled for as early as Thursday. The spacewalk will see Isaacman and Gillis venture outside the spacecraft, marking the first time humans have directly emerged from a Crew Dragon into the vacuum of space, a feat typically achieved through docking with the International Space Station (ISS).
The spacewalk presents a crucial opportunity to test the groundbreaking new SpaceX-designed extravehicular activity (EVA) spacesuits, a significant upgrade from the current intravehicular (IVA) suits. These next-generation suits prioritize mobility and comfort, making them ideal for future missions to the moon and Mars.
The Polaris Dawn mission is not only pushing the boundaries of spacewalks, but also aiming for unprecedented heights. The Crew Dragon will ascend to a record-breaking altitude of 870 miles (1,400 kilometers) above Earth, surpassing the highest human orbit achieved since the Apollo program over half a century ago. This ambitious climb takes the spacecraft far beyond the ISS, which orbits Earth at a mere 250 miles (402 kilometers).
Adding to the groundbreaking nature of the mission, the Polaris Dawn crew will be the first to test Starlink laser-based communications in space. This experiment promises invaluable data for future space communications systems, crucial for missions to the moon, Mars, and beyond.
Beyond these groundbreaking feats, the mission will also be a hive of scientific activity, focusing on a range of experiments, particularly in the realm of health and human performance research for NASA’s Human Research Program. These experiments aim to delve deeper into how space conditions affect the human body, testing new medical approaches and technology on telemedicine capabilities, gathering data on space motion sickness, and conducting research to better characterize flight-associated injury risks.
The Polaris Dawn mission is a powerful testament to the boundless potential of human ingenuity and our unwavering desire to explore the cosmos. The mission’s groundbreaking achievements and valuable research will not only shape the future of space travel but also pave the way for humanity’s continued exploration of the vast universe.
