SpaceX, the rocket manufacturing company owned by Elon Musk, has announced a slight delay to the highly anticipated Polaris Dawn mission. Originally scheduled for August 26th, the launch has now been shifted to August 27th. The company explained that this extra day will allow their teams to complete essential preflight checks, ensuring a smooth and successful launch.
The Polaris Dawn mission, spearheaded by Jared Isaacman, CEO of Shift4 Payments, is a private human spaceflight program that aims to achieve several groundbreaking milestones. The mission will see a four-person crew, including Isaacman, Kidd Poteet, Sarah Gillis, and Anna Menon, embark on a journey into orbit aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft.
One of the most significant aspects of the Polaris Dawn mission is the planned spacewalk, which will take place nearly 435 miles above the Earth. This spacewalk will mark a historical moment, as it will be the first-ever spacewalk conducted by a commercial company. The crew will be equipped with specially designed SpaceX extravehicular activity spacesuits for this endeavor.
While space agencies like NASA routinely carry out spacewalks, this mission represents a significant leap forward for private companies in the space exploration arena. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has highlighted the significance of this event, stating that it will be the furthest anyone has traveled from Earth in over 50 years.
The Polaris Dawn mission is expected to last up to five days, during which the crew will conduct various experiments and research. The success of this mission could pave the way for further commercial space exploration and unlock new possibilities in the realm of private space travel.
