The Polaris Dawn mission launched at 2:54 p.m. Indian time using a Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Station in Florida.
The mission is part of the Polaris program, which aims to push the limits of human spaceflight capabilities and pave the way for future lunar and Mars missions.
What is SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn Mission?
During the Polaris Dawn mission, Dragon and the mission crew will attempt to reach the highest Earth orbit altitude of approximately 1,200 kilometers since the Apollo program.
Polaris Dawn is a mission financed by billionaire Jared Isaacman. The mission’s crew includes Isaacman, Scott Poteet, Sir Gillis, and Anna Menon. This is the first private space mission in which astronauts will also perform a spacewalk.
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When will astronauts do spacewalks?
The spacewalk or Extravehicular Activity (EVA) will occur on the mission’s third day, i.e., September 12. However, SpaceX and the Polaris Dawn team have not yet announced the exact timing.
According to mission team members, Isaacman and Gillis will perform separate spacewalks and each will likely spend 15 to 20 minutes outside the capsule.
The crew is wearing extravehicular activity (EVA) spacesuits designed by Space-X. This is a historic effort, in which new spacesuit technology will be tested.
Polaris Dawn’s mission objectives
Under the Polaris Dawn mission, all four astronauts will go into low Earth orbit in a Crew Dragon capsule, and during the mission, they will spend a total of 5 days in orbit.
During this space flight, astronauts will research 36 studies, and experiments designed to improve human health. Also, they conduct laser-based communication tests. Many other tests will also be conducted during the mission.
According to reports, the astronauts flying under the mission will perform a private spacewalk for the first time. During this time SpaceX’s spacesuit will be used. It is said that this will be the highest human space flight after the Apollo Moon missions launched in the 1960s and 1970s.
Polaris Dawn The Polaris program is divided into three missions. Its funding and command are with Isaacman. Lieutenant Colonel Scott Poteat will play the role of pilot in the mission. Mission specialists Sara Gillis and Anna Menon are also a part of it. Both are also operations engineers at SpaceX.
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The important thing is that the mission was to be launched in the year 2022. But it has been delayed. There was hope of launching the mission at the beginning of this year too, which has now stopped in July. If this mission is successful then the field of spacewalk will open up new dimensions in the future.
