Janice R. Andrews
With its next mission, Polaris Dawn, SpaceX—led by the visionary Elon Musk—is once again pushing the envelope in space exploration. Launched on August 26, 2024, this mission will take four private persons on an incredible adventure to the greatest altitudes reached by humans since the Apollo program of NASA. The crew will undertake a high-risk spacewalk, which will expose them to extremely high radiation levels in addition to the enormous hurdles of space flight. Everything you need to know about this audacious undertaking is provided here.
The Crew: A Blend of Adventurers and Experts
Billionaire Jared Isaacman, who first came to public notice in 2021 when he independently funded Inspiration4, the first space flight to circle the Earth, is leading this audacious endeavor. At the time, Isaacman spent three days in a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft with his three coworkers, none of whom had any previous spaceflight experience. In addition to serving as a major fundraiser for pediatric cancer research, Isaacman made his debut in the private space tourism industry with the Inspiration4 mission.
After returning from Inspiration4, Isaacman thought he had probably gotten what he had hoped for from space travel. But he quickly discovered that his adventure was far from ended. Isaacman told CNN, “I felt maybe I wouldn’t go back, that maybe the bar was set sufficiently high.” However, his enthusiasm for space travel never diminished, and he is currently getting ready for a far larger and riskier mission.
Isaacman will have three very capable crew members with him:
- Isaacman’s close friend and former Air Force pilot, Scott “Kidd” Poteet
- Anna Menon, the mission’s medical officer and senior SpaceX space operations engineer
- Sarah Gillis, a crucial trainer for the Inspiration4 crew and a top space operations engineer at SpaceX
This mission is intended to push the boundaries of modern technology and human endurance in space, rather than merely being a rerun of Inspiration4.
Mission Highlights: The Revolutionary Nature of Polaris Dawn
Polaris Dawn is the first of three testing flights scheduled to launch from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on August 26 at no early than 3:30 a.m. ET. These missions aim to test new technologies and life support systems in order to set the stage for future deep space exploration. The ultimate goal is to create the gear required for human space travel to destinations distant from Earth, maybe even Mars.
The Polaris Dawn mission will provide new challenges for its crew in addition to shattering many records:
The crew is set to soar to unprecedented heights of up to 870 miles (1,400 kilometers) above Earth, delving far into the Van Allen radiation belts. These belts are areas where Earth’s magnetic field traps high-energy particles, resulting in extreme radiation that astronauts haven’t seen on this scale since the Apollo missions.
- Risky Spacewalk : Part of the mission is an audacious plan to conduct a spacewalk, or Extra-Vehicular Activity (EVA), which is something that astronauts from non-government organizations have never done before. Gillis and Isaacman are about to step out of the spacecraft and into space. During this EVA, the Crew Dragon capsule will completely depressurize, exposing the entire crew to space, in contrast to the airlock system on the International Space Station.
- New SpaceX Spacesuits: The crew will use all-new EVA suits that SpaceX created. The astronauts will be protected during their spacewalk by these suits, which were designed in an only 2.5 years. In contrast to NASA’s conventional suits, they will have umbilical cords connecting them to the spacecraft, allowing the capsule to supply oxygen and life support directly.
Dealing with Space Dangers: Radiation and Technological Obstacles
One of the biggest threats to the Polaris Dawn mission is entering the radiation belts. The high-energy particles found in the Van Allen belts are very dangerous to human health and electronics. The electronics in charge of navigation and communication aboard the Crew Dragon, known as avionics, were put through rigorous radiation testing by SpaceX’s engineers in an effort to reduce these dangers. The avionics were sent to an oncology lab, where they were subjected to radiation bombardment until they failed. SpaceX was able to include redundancy into their systems and comprehend the limitations of their technology through this procedure.
In addition, the materials used for the cottage needed to “bake-out.” SpaceX made sure that any potentially dangerous poisons vented off the spacecraft prior to the voyage by keeping it in a vacuum chamber heated to a high temperature. This is crucial because some components may release harmful chemicals when the cabin is depressurized during the spacewalk.
In order to guarantee crew safety even in the case of system failures brought on by radiation, SpaceX has also created software that can instantly reboot computers.
Gearing Up for the Spacewalk: An Innovative Method
Preparing the crew for their spacewalk will be one of the hardest parts of Polaris Dawn. The Polaris Dawn crew will depressurize using an airlock before to entering space, in contrast to personnel on the International Space Station (ISS). The crew will gradually lower the cabin pressure and raise the oxygen levels in the spaceship over a 45-hour pre-breathe procedure. By using this method, the astronauts are able to remove nitrogen from their blood, preventing “the bends,” also known as decompression sickness, which can be fatal.
This approach is a first-of-its-kind experiment that demonstrates SpaceX’s readiness to test cutting-edge technologies in space missions conducted in real time.
A Technological Advancement with the SpaceX EVA Suits
The new SpaceX spacesuits are made to survive the hostile conditions seen in space, including as high temperatures and the possibility of micrometeorite hits. SpaceX put the suits through a thorough testing program, including hitting them with tiny debris flying at orbital velocity, to see how durable they would be. The purpose of these tests was to verify that the suits could resist projectiles traveling at speeds exceeding 17,000 miles per hour at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.
Despite the advancements, the suits lack the Primary Life Support System (PLSS) that NASA astronauts use on the International Space Station—a backpack-style device. Rather, the crew of Polaris Dawn will be attached to the spacecraft by lengthy pipes, where they will get life support and oxygen. The mission’s objectives need a more lightweight and nimble design, which is made possible by this approach even if it may appear more restrictive.
The Hazards: No Leap for Mistake
Although space travel is always dangerous, Polaris Dawn raises the stakes significantly. Every element of this trip is experimental, including radiation exposure and spacewalking without a conventional airlock. Jared Isaacman and his team are cognizant of the difficulties they encounter.
As the former NASA astronaut and SpaceX adviser Garrett Reisman put it, “There are significant risks whenever you try something for the first time.” In order to guarantee their safety, he said, the team has undergone many ground tests and has been well-prepared. But there are no assurances in any mission.
“There is more risk in a development program than going to and from the International Space Station — but not a lot more risk,” Isaacman admits, highlighting the seriousness of the situation. He is still upbeat and believes that SpaceX can overcome issues and push the limits of what is practical for space travel.
Pushing the Boundaries: Polaris Dawn‘s Vision
Space exploration is more than just a personal goal for Isaacman. He sees Polaris Dawn and other missions as essential milestones toward the future of mankind in space. His partnership with SpaceX is a component of a larger strategy to establish mankind as a multiplanetary species. Future expeditions to Mars and beyond are being made possible by Isaacman and SpaceX through their spaceborne technology and hardware testing.
The crew of Polaris Dawn has the same mission as Isaacman. Longtime Crew Dragon program participants Anna Menon and Sarah Gillis think the project has the potential to open up new avenues for space exploration. Experienced pilot and former Air Force officer Scott Poteet is fully confident in the team’s readiness and SpaceX’s potential for success.
Final Thoughts: An Upcoming Phase in Space Research
Polaris Dawn is a daring experiment that has the potential to completely change the course of human spaceflight, not simply another space mission. Its ground-breaking heights, cutting-edge spacesuits, and risky spacewalk promise to push the boundaries of human endurance and technological capabilities. The world will be keenly observing SpaceX and Jared Isaacman’s launch into the unknown to see if this commercial space mission will aid in propelling humanity farther into space.
