On Tuesday, Aug. 27, SpaceX will launch a team of four private astronauts 870 miles above Earth on a risky mission that will include the first-ever spacewalk from a private spaceship.
This Polaris Dawn mission is the first of three crewed spaceflights that will eventually culminate in the first human spaceflight in SpaceX’s Starship.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Polaris Program and Polaris Dawn, what will happen during this first mission, and what the three-launch program will entail.
What Is The ‘Polaris Program’?
It’s three human spaceflight missions to rapidly advance human spaceflight capabilities. After they are completed, the next mission will be to fly humans for the first time on Starship, which is currently undergoing frequent test flights. “The Polaris Program is an important step in advancing human space exploration while helping to solve problems through the use of innovative technology here on Earth,” said billionaire Jared Isaacman, commander of the Polaris Program.
He previously commanded the world’s first all-civilian mission to orbit, the Inspiration4 mission, in September 2021. “Throughout our mission, we will aim to inspire humankind to look up and imagine what we can achieve here on Earth and in the worlds beyond our own,” he said.
What Is ‘Polaris Dawn’?
Polaris Dawn will launch no earlier than Tuesday, Aug. 27. from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The astronauts will be in a SpaceX Dragon capsule atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. For exact timings and where to stream it live, see updates on the Polaris feed on X, SpaceX’s website and SpaceX’s YouTube channel.
The Polaris Dawn crew will spend up to five days in orbit, flying higher than any Dragon mission thus far. They will also reach the highest Earth orbit ever flown.
The crew will comprise Isaacman, retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Scott Poteet, and two Lead Space Operations Engineers at SpaceX, Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon, who train astronauts.
Why Is ‘Polaris Dawn’ Flying?
Polaris Dawn has a trio of science objectives despite spending just five days in orbit. “On Polaris Dawn, we endeavor to achieve the highest Earth orbit ever flown in addition to conducting the world’s first commercial spacewalk and testing of Starlink laser-based communication,” said Isaacman. The spacewalk will take place about 435 miles above Earth.
Despite NASA using the Dragon capsule multiple times for crewed spaceflight before, a spacewalk has not been conducted from it. That will now change—and the crew has special SpaceX-designed extravehicular activity spacesuits for that purpose.
The crew will also conduct scientific research into human health in space, including decompression sickness, space radiation and the effects of long-duration spaceflight.
Polaris Dawn will also follow the example of Inspiration4, which raised over $240 million for Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. There will also be a reading of a children’s book, Kisses from Space, written by Menon, from orbit.
Can SpaceX Rescue The Hubble Space Telescope?
In June, Isaacman suggested that the second flight in the Polaris Program could visit the Hubble Space Telescope, which requires a re-boost to prevent it from burning up in Earth’s atmosphere and falling into the Pacific Ocean’s spacecraft cemetery before the end of its shelf-life.
It was a response to NASA issuing a request in 2022 for commercial space companies to suggest ways Hubble’s life could be extended.
In May, National Public Radio obtained internal NASA emails via a Freedom of Information Act that revealed worries about the risks of a spacewalk both to the astronauts and to Hubble. Given that a spacewalk from a Dragon capsule is on the menu for Polaris Dawn this week, this mission may have consequences for the plan to save Hubble. However, as well as not having an airlock, Dragon capsules do not have a robotic arm to grab Hubble.
Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
