SpaceX is preparing to launch a spacecraft on a private mission from Florida on August 26, marking the company’s first-ever spacewalk.
The Polaris Dawn mission is the first of three flights funded by Jared Isaacman in 2022 to carry humans into space.
Crew of the Polaris Dawn mission (from left to right): Medical officer Anna Menon, pilot Scott Poteet, commander Jared Isaacman, and mission specialist Sarah Gillis.
Isaacman will command this mission, just as he did during the historic Inspiration4 flight in 2021. Once again, he leads a four-member crew, including long-time colleague Scott Poteet as pilot, and SpaceX employees Anna Menon and Sarah Gillis, serving as medical officer and mission specialist, respectively.
This multi-day journey does not target a specific location but instead will be a free-flying mission aimed at venturing far from Earth.
Isaacman stated, “We will reach a very high altitude that humans haven’t touched in over 50 years.”
However, the focus of Polaris Dawn is the planned spacewalk.
Extravehicular activities (EVAs) have been a routine part of NASA astronaut missions for many years. Yet, no private company has attempted an EVA before.
Isaacman expressed his understanding that conducting a spacewalk means that he and the crew will face life-and-death situations, a moment for which they have undergone extensive training.
Five-Day Mission Plan
Isaacman mentioned that they will be in space for up to five days.
Simulation of the space journey from SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft.
Day one will focus on finding the optimal launch window with minimal risk from tiny orbital debris, which will precisely determine when Polaris Dawn will launch. After reaching an orbit of 190km x 1,200km, Isaacman stated the crew would conduct a thorough inspection of SpaceX’s Dragon Resilience spacecraft.
The spacecraft will also pass through a high-radiation area known as the South Atlantic Anomaly.
Day two will center on various scientific experiments Polaris Dawn intends to conduct—approximately 40 experiments in total. The crew will also prepare for the spacewalk by testing their EVA suits.
Day three is the most crucial: EVA – The Spacewalk
Two crew members will exit the Dragon spacecraft: Isaacman and Gillis, while Poteet and Menon remain inside to provide support.
The EVA is expected to last two hours from start to finish. Isaacman emphasized that the spacewalk is essentially a test process.
The Polaris Dawn mission will livestream the spacewalk, and the mission commander highlighted that there will be numerous cameras set up both inside and outside the cabin.
