The Polaris Dawn mission, led by billionaire Jared Issacman, launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket on September 10, 2024. This mission marks a significant moment in private spaceflight missions.
The mission was originally scheduled for August 27. However, it suffered a series of delays, including a helium leak and bad weather.
The mission progressed as planned, with the rocket stages separating cleanly approximately 160 seconds after leaving the launch pad, reports Space.com. The first stage booster descended, touching down successfully on SpaceX’s floating landing platform.
Following this, the Crew Dragon capsule detached from the upper-stage rocket, achieving its preliminary orbit roughly 12 minutes into the mission timeline.
Polaris Dawn’s Crew Dragon is set to orbit at a maximum altitude of 870 miles or 1,400 km, marking the highest human flight since Apollo 17 in 1972.
As mission commander, Issacman expressed gratitude to SpaceX and the broader support team before the crew began working on their space objectives.
“We wouldn’t be on this journey without all 14,000 of you back home and everyone else cheering us on,” said Issacman. “We appreciate it. We’re gonna get to work now.”
SpaceX employees Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon, along with retired U.S. Air Force Lt.Col. Scott “Kidd” Poteet will join Issacman.
The team will spend five days in space, conducting more than 40 experiments in the unique environment while preparing for the mission’s defining moment — the spacewalk.
On the third day, Issacman and Gillis will don newly designed EVA suits to test them in the vacuum of space. Unlike traditional spacewalks, where only those leaving the spacecraft suit up, all four crew members will wear the suits as the entire capsule will be exposed to space during the walk.
Another notable objective for Polaris Dawn is a Starlink satellite demonstration on day four. The crew has teased a surprise message to be transmitted via the satellite constellation, adding an element of mystery to the mission.
The five-day journey will conclude with the Crew Dragon capsule returning to Earth, performing a series of deorbit burns before splashing down off the coast of Florida.
If successful, Polaris Dawn will solidify its place in history as a trailblazer in the era of private space exploration.
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