SpaceX is gearing up for a significant milestone in space exploration with the imminent launch of Polaris Dawn, a private space mission that aims to conduct the first-ever civilian spacewalk. The Falcon 9 rocket is set to lift off on Tuesday, August 27, at 3:38 AM ET, carrying a crew of four private citizens on a journey that will reach up to 870 miles from Earth, the farthest any human has traveled since the Apollo program.
Leading the mission is billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman, the CEO of Shift4, who will serve as the mission’s commander. The crew also includes retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Scott “Kidd” Poteet as the pilot, alongside SpaceX engineers Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon, who will act as mission specialists. Menon, in addition to her role as a mission specialist, will also serve as the medical officer, overseeing the health of the crew during the mission.
A key highlight of Polaris Dawn will be the spacewalk, where two crew members are expected to step outside the SpaceX Dragon capsule at an altitude of 435 miles above Earth. This maneuver is particularly challenging because the Dragon capsule lacks an airlock, meaning all crew members will be exposed to the vacuum of space. To ensure their safety, the crew will rely on SpaceX’s new Extravehicular Activity (EVA) spacesuits, which have undergone extensive ground testing.
In addition to the spacewalk, Polaris Dawn will be a pioneering mission for testing SpaceX’s Starlink laser-based communication systems in space for the first time. The mission will also gather critical data to support ongoing research into the effects of spaceflight on human health, contributing valuable insights to the broader scientific community.
Polaris Dawn is the first in a series of three planned Polaris spaceflights, each designed to push the boundaries of private space exploration. This mission represents a significant step forward in commercial space travel, highlighting SpaceX’s growing role in advancing human exploration beyond Earth’s orbit.
