The Polaris Dawn mission, launched by SpaceX on September 10, 2024, has achieved a historic milestone by reaching an altitude of 1,400.7 kilometers, the highest for a crewed spacecraft since the Apollo program over 50 years ago. This record-breaking altitude surpasses the previous mark of 1,373 kilometers set by NASA’s Gemini XI mission in 1966.The four-person civilian crew, led by billionaire Jared Isaacman, includes retired US Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Scott ‘Kidd’ Poteet, and SpaceX engineers Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon. They are now preparing for the first-ever commercial spacewalk, scheduled for September 12 at 2:23 AM ET.During the spacewalk, Isaacman and Gillis will exit the Crew Dragon capsule through the cupola at an altitude of approximately 700 kilometers, wearing SpaceX’s newly designed Extravehicular Activity (EVA) suits. This unprecedented event will test the suits developed for future missions to the Moon and Mars.The mission, which will last five days, aims to conduct over 40 scientific experiments, including studying the effects of space radiation on human health as the spacecraft passes through the Van Allen Radiation Belt. The crew will also test laser-based communications for the Starlink satellite network.Bill Gerstenmaier, an engineer at SpaceX, emphasized the extensive preparation for the spacewalk, stating, ‘EVA is a risky adventure, but again, we’ve done all the preparation: we did the capsule testing, we did the suit testing, we did the hyperbaric chambers, we did all the work to really get ready for this’.The Polaris Dawn mission represents a significant step forward in commercial space exploration and sets the stage for future ambitious projects, including potential missions to the Moon and Mars using SpaceX’s Starship mega-rocket. As the first of three planned missions in the Polaris program, it aims to advance space exploration capabilities while also raising funds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Key points
- Polaris Dawn mission reached a record-breaking altitude of 1,400.
- The first-ever commercial spacewalk is scheduled for September 12, testing SpaceX’s new EVA suits.
- The mission aims to conduct over 40 scientific experiments and advance space exploration capabilities.
7 kilometers, surpassing previous records.
Contradictions👾While most sources report the spacewalk altitude as around 700 kilometers, one source mentions 435 miles (about 700 km).
This slight discrepancy could be due to rounding or different measurement points.
