SpaceX, Elon Musk’s spacecraft manufacturing company, has announced a major milestone for its ambitious Polaris Dawn mission. The all-civilian crew has successfully reached its maximum target altitude of 870 miles, marking the furthest humans have ventured from Earth in over 50 years. This achievement surpasses even the International Space Station (ISS), which orbits at a maximum altitude of approximately 286 miles.
The successful altitude reach was a key objective of the Polaris Dawn mission. This groundbreaking feat signifies the farthest humans have travelled in space since the completion of NASA’s Apollo program in 1972.
SpaceX is now focusing on another landmark achievement: the first-ever private spacewalk. This historic event is scheduled for Thursday, taking place approximately 435 miles above Earth. While NASA regularly conducts spacewalks, known as extravehicular activities, no private company has attempted such a venture before, making this mission a significant step for both SpaceX and the commercial spaceflight industry.
The Polaris Dawn mission also includes a comprehensive research and science program. The crew will conduct various experiments during their time in orbit, contributing valuable data to scientific understanding.
Polaris Dawn is the initial mission in a series of three human spaceflight missions planned under the Polaris program, founded by Jared Isaacman, CEO of Shift4 Payments. The mission launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at around 5:23 a.m. ET on Tuesday, propelled by SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket.
The Polaris Crew, comprised of four individuals, including mission commander Jared Isaacman, Kidd Poteet, Sarah Gillis, and Anna Menon, will spend up to five days in orbit before returning to Earth. While Isaacman and Poteet worked together at Shift4, Gillis and Menon are SpaceX engineers.
This mission is a testament to the advancements in commercial spaceflight, pushing the boundaries of human exploration and paving the way for future ventures beyond Earth.
