The Polaris Dawn mission, led by billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman, is set to launch with the goal of making history in space exploration. The crew, made up of four civilians, will conduct various tests and experiments while in orbit, including reaching altitudes higher than any human has traveled since the Apollo program, conducting a spacewalk 435 miles above Earth, and testing a new satellite communication system. The mission will also raise funds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
The crew will face challenges such as passing through the Van Allen radiation belts, a hazardous area of trapped cosmic radiation in Earth’s magnetosphere. The mission aims to test SpaceX technologies that could be crucial for future deep space exploration, including potential missions to Mars.
The Polaris Dawn crew includes Jared Isaacman as the mission commander, with pilot Scott “Kidd” Poteet, and mission specialists Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon. The mission is the first of three under the Polaris Program, which will test SpaceX technologies for future human spaceflights. The second mission is set to continue expanding the boundaries of human spaceflight, in-space communications, and scientific research, with details for the third mission, intended to launch on the SpaceX Starship rocket, yet to be announced. The crew for the Polaris Dawn mission will embark on their journey no earlier than Wednesday, with the launch available to watch via live stream by SpaceX and NASA.
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