Polaris Dawn Aims for Historic Non-Government Spacewalk

August 24, 2024

The Polaris Dawn mission is set to achieve remarkable feats in space exploration. It aims to be the first private mission where astronauts will perform a spacewalk at a record-breaking altitude of 700 kilometers (435 miles) above Earth. This altitude is higher than the International Space Station (ISS), making it a significant milestone in human spaceflight.

Understanding the Van Allen Belts

During the mission, the crew will travel through the Van Allen Belts, which are two rings of charged particles surrounding Earth, held in place by Earth’s magnetic field. These belts are filled with radiation that can be harmful to astronauts. The inner belt contains high-energy particles from cosmic rays, while the outer belt has particles from the sun. Studying how this radiation affects humans is crucial for future space missions, especially those that will travel farther into space.

Mission Crew and Their Goals

The Polaris Dawn mission is led by Jared Isaacman, a billionaire entrepreneur. The crew also includes Scott Poteet, Sarah Gillis, and Anna Menon. Besides performing a spacewalk, the crew will test new SpaceX spacesuits designed to protect astronauts in high-radiation environments.

Health Research and Space Travel

One of the key goals of Polaris Dawn is to gather data on how space travel affects human health. The crew will collect samples for Biobanks, which are research facilities that store biological materials. The focus will be on studying conditions like Spaceflight Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome (SANS), which affects vision, and decompression sickness (DCS), which can occur when returning from space. The mission will also test new communication technologies using SpaceX’s Starlink satellite network. The goal is to improve how we communicate during space missions, which will be important for future missions to the moon and Mars.

Future Polaris Missions

Jared Isaacman has planned two more Polaris missions after this one. The second mission will focus on pushing the boundaries of human space exploration and conducting scientific research. The third mission will be a crewed test flight for SpaceX’s Starship, a spacecraft designed for deep space missions. The Polaris Dawn mission is scheduled to launch on August 26, 2024, though this date could change due to various factors.

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