With Polaris Dawn, SpaceX will conduct the first private spacewalk, consisting of “tourists”, during the five-day journey around Earth’s orbit
Space X plans to conduct the first commercial spacewalk soon. The spacewalk is to be conducted by a crew of civilians (or “space tourists”) from Polar Dawn Mission. Boarding will not take place before July 31, according to an announcement on X (formerly Twitter).
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The Polaris Dawn mission flight will launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, USA, aboard a Falcon 9 rocket. In total, the crew will spend five days in orbit around the Earth, enough time to include a spacewalk and other promising research in the health sector.
The mission was originally scheduled to take place in 2022, but several adjustments were needed to make those plans happen. This is the first of three Polaris missions funded by billionaire and Shift4 Payments founder Jared Isaacman.
Isaacman had already sponsored the three-day Inspiration4 orbital flightoperated by SpaceXand will be one of the crew members of the Polaris Dawn, along with Scott Poteet, Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon.
We are aiming for the launch of Polaris Dawn no earlier than July 31st. pic.twitter.com/gVicWmMNE5
— Polaris (@PolarisProgram) July 3, 2024
SpaceX’s First Private Spacewalk
In an interview for the YouTube channel Ellie in spaceIsaacman commented on some of the objectives of the new mission. Unlike other missions, the crew will travel further than “normal” from the planet Earth and will pass through it Van Allen Beltsthe Earth’s magnetic field: the last time humans exceeded this limit was with the Apollo program, in the 1970s.
Also, one of the big moments of the new commercial spaceflight will be the spacewalk. If all goes according to plan, the Polaris Dawn crew will be the first to experience this outside the realm of Earth. NASA or another government space agency in another country.
During the two-hour private spacewalk, the four crew members will use a new line of space suits for extravehicular activities (EVA). The newly presented models promise greater mobility for space tourists.
Health of “space tourists”
The SpaceX mission will also have scientific purposes, as medical data will be collected from the crew to understand how radiation and microgravity may affect these individuals.
Among the research already planned, the idea is to better understand how “decompression sickness”linked to the formation of bubbles in the blood. The mission will also collect data on “space travel-associated neuro-ocular syndrome” (SANS). This is important to ensure the safety of future missions.
Finally, the mission is also to test Starlink, SpaceX’s satellite internet, inside a spacecraft. The crew will stay connected, even so far from Earth. With this, crew member Mennon will streaming reading a children’s book while traveling to stimulate children’s interest in science.
All proceeds from the mission will be used to maintain Sr. Jude Hospital, a specialized pediatric cancer research institution in the United States.
Source: SpaceX AND Ellie in Space (Youtube)
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Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
