SpaceX is launching a „Polaris Dawn“ mission in which four astronauts will pass through the Van Allen radiation belt and perform the first commercial spacewalk in history. The event was broadcast live on the „X“ social network, and SpaceX launch director Frank Mesina encouraged the spacecraft crew.
„While you look to the North Star, remember that your bravery illuminates the path for future explorers. We believe that your skills, bravery, and teamwork will carry the mission ahead of you. Know that the entire team is here with you every step of the way, watching, supporting, and cheering you on as you walk through space. We send you hugs from the ground,“ Mesina said, as reported by CNN.
The launch has been postponed multiple times in August due to poor weather conditions. Scheduling new dates was problematic because not only did they need a suitable time for the launch, but also for the mission return, which is expected to last five days. The time frame for their return is strictly set, as the team has limited oxygen reserves and other resources, allowing them to stay in space for up to six days.
The „Falcon 9“ rocket carrying the „Crew Dragon“ capsule with the crew was launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, reaching a speed of up to 27,358 kilometers per hour to enter Earth’s orbit.
The mission was planned in collaboration with SpaceX by billionaire Jared Isaacman, founder of the financial technology company „Shift4 Payments,“ which first participated in space flights in September 2021.
Although this is a private mission, it is a commercial project with clear scientific goals. Isaacman and the rest of the crew, consisting of former U.S. Air Force pilot Scott Poteet, as well as SpaceX engineers Ana Menon and Sarah Gillis, are expected to reach a height of 1,373 kilometers in Earth’s orbit, 32 kilometers further than NASA’s Gemini 11 mission in 1996. In other words, „Polaris Dawn“ will take people to such a distant point in space for the first time since the Apollo missions.
On the first day, they will test the Dragon capsule to ensure everything is functioning properly before reaching an orbit at a height of 1,400 kilometers. On that first day, the crew will also pass through the so-called „South Atlantic Anomaly,“ a zone of high radiation in Earth’s magnetic field, with research conducted to verify the effects of space flights and radiation on human health.
By the second day, the team will conduct 40 scientific experiments and launch several SpaceX satellites that can communicate with each other instead of relying on ground control to send signals.
On the third day of the mission, the crew will descend to a lower orbit, about 700 kilometers from Earth, where they will attempt a historic spacewalk. SpaceX has developed a completely new astronaut suit called EVA for this spacewalk, equipped with cameras and displays inside the helmets to show the status of their equipment outside the spacecraft.
The suits also have „enhanced temperature regulation“ and a visor to protect from the sun. On the third day of the walk, they will test support systems and suits before the chamber opens, and two of the four crew members begin the walk.
The Crew Dragon spacecraft used in this walk has several handles and a nitrogen thrust system, which will allow for optimal pressure when astronauts return to the ship. Isaacman says it will look like they are doing a „little dance“ during the walk, testing how the suits move under the pressure of oxygen at such high altitudes.
It will last about two hours and will be broadcast live through the „Polaris Dawn“ official channels on social media. The last two days of the mission are dedicated to the remaining scientific experiments.
