SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn Reaches for the Stars: A Record Orbit and Groundbreaking Spacewalk
By Ed Malaker
The Polaris Dawn finally got clearance to lift off today after several delays that prevented it from launching back in August. Over 1.7 million people watched the live feed as the pilot gave the camera thumbs up as the liftoff occurred. The mission’s key objectives include achieving the highest Earth orbit since 1972 and conducting the world’s first commercial spacewalk.
A Smooth Takeoff: Crew Dragon Resilience Takes Flight
At 5:23 a.m. EST, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched the Crew Dragon Resilience spacecraft from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A. After overcoming minor delays due to poor weather conditions, the rocket achieved liftoff and separated from its upper stage 12 minutes after liftoff, sending the crew into an elliptical orbit. The mission’s primary orbital goal is to achieve a peak altitude of 1,400 kilometers (870 miles), making it the highest crewed space mission since Apollo 17.
Reusable Booster Landing
Once the rocket and upper stage separated, the booster rocket returned to earth using the atmosphere and a series of controlled burns to control the descent, allowing it to land successfully on SpaceX’s autonomous drone ship, Just Read the Instructions, stationed off the coast of Florida in the Atlantic Ocean.
This type of reusable booster landing is a critical part of SpaceX’s cost-saving strategies for launching missions into space.
Mission Objectives
Research
The Polaris Dawn mission will run for five days. During this time, the crew will conduct about 40 scientific experiments, including studies on human health in space. The crew will particularly focus on changes in eye pressure and shape using specialized contact lenses. The crew will also test laser-based satellite communication between the spacecraft and SpaceX’s Starlink network to improve space-based communication speeds.
The First-Ever Commercial Spacewalk
The first-ever commercial spacewalk will take place on Thursday, the third day of the mission. Jared Isaacman and Sarah Gillis will exit the Crew Dragon spacecraft in specially designed SpaceX extravehicular activity (EVA) suits. During this time, the two astronauts will take turns leaving the Crew Dragon to test the suits, and each astronaut will spend about 15 to 20 minutes outside the spacecraft during the spacewalk.
Conclusion and Return
The Polaris Dawn mission will conclude on the sixth day with a splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean following a series of deorbit burns. If it is a success, it will set the stage for future missions to the moon, Mars, and beyond.
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