SpaceX is preparing to begin its historic Polaris Dawn mission, which will use its Crew Dragon spacecraft to launch four astronauts into orbit. The five-day trip to the Van Allen Radiation Belts will include the first spacewalk by a private astronaut.
If you’re curious about the mission, here’s what you should know and how to watch it live.
What is the Polaris Dawn mission?
Polaris Dawn was first announced in 2022 as a mission funded by billionaire and private astronaut Jared Isaacman. In addition to Isaacman, three other privately trained astronauts will fly the mission, including retired U.S. Air Force fighter pilot Scott Poteet, and SpaceX engineers Anna Menon and Sarah Gillis. Only Isaacman and Gillis will conduct the spacewalk, which will take place about 430 miles from Earth.
Once in orbit, the four astronauts will eventually reach a maximum altitude of approximately 870 miles, the furthest astronauts have flown since the Apollo missions more than 50 years ago. They will also fly through the Van Allen Belts, which NASA says are two radiation belts made up of high-energy particles from the sun and atmosphere that interact with cosmic rays.
Why is Polaris Dawn so important?
Spacewalks aren’t the only goal of the Polaris Dawn mission. Astronauts will also test SpaceX’s extravehicular activity (EVA) spacesuits, which are made from new materials to improve maneuverability. The suits come with a 3D-printed helmet with a heads-up display and goggles designed to reduce glare.
According to SpaceX, all four astronauts will wear upgraded spacesuits during the spacewalk because the Crew Dragon spacecraft does not have an airlock, leaving the astronauts in the capsule “exposed to the vacuum of space.” During the spacewalk, Isaacman and Gillis will wear the new spacesuits for testing.
The mission will also help study the effects of space radiation on the human body, as the capsule will travel through the Van Allen radiation belts. In addition, the Polaris Dawn crew will test Starlink satellite network technology to communicate with Earth and conduct research into decompression sickness and spaceflight-related neuro-ocular syndrome.
When is the dawn of Polaris?
Polaris Dawn will lift off on Tuesday, August 27, with SpaceX’s target launch time of 3:38 a.m. ET. If a delay occurs, SpaceX will set two additional launch times: 5:23 a.m. ET and 7:09 a.m. ET.
The Crew Dragon capsule will be launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
How to watch the Polaris Dawn launch
You can watch a live broadcast of the mission from the SpaceX website and its X page. Coverage will begin at approximately 12:05 a.m. ET.
The spacewalk will take place on the third day of the mission and will also be broadcast live. It will likely be available on the SpaceX website and on X.
