SpaceX will attempt the first commercial spacewalk

A New Era in Private Spaceflight

Polaris Dawn builds on the foundation laid by Inspiration4, SpaceX’s first all-civilian mission launched in 2021. Like its predecessor, Polaris Dawn is privately funded by Jared Isaacman, a billionaire entrepreneur committed to advancing human space exploration. The mission is part of the larger Polaris program, which envisions a series of increasingly challenging flights designed to test SpaceX’s technology and expand humanity’s reach in space.

The launch, currently targeted for mid-2024, will carry a crew of four aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule. Alongside Isaacman, the crew includes former Air Force lieutenant colonel Scott “Kidd” Poteet and SpaceX engineers Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon. Their diverse backgrounds underscore the mission’s blend of operational expertise and technical innovation.

Reaching Unprecedented Heights: Beyond the Van Allen Belts

One of the mission’s most ambitious goals is to reach an orbit more than 800 miles above Earth’s surface—significantly higher than the International Space Station’s typical altitude of around 250 miles. This trajectory will take the crew through the Van Allen radiation belts, zones of charged particles trapped by Earth’s magnetic field. Humans have not ventured through these belts since the Apollo missions of the 1960s and 70s.

Passing through this radiation environment provides a unique opportunity to study its effects on human health. The crew will collect detailed medical data to better understand radiation exposure in deep space, a critical factor for future missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

Pioneering Health Research in Microgravity

Polaris Dawn is not just a technological demonstration; it is also a platform for groundbreaking biomedical research. The mission will investigate several health challenges associated with space travel, including decompression sickness—commonly known as “the bends”—by measuring gas bubbles in the astronauts’ blood.

Perhaps most notably, the crew will study Spaceflight Associated Neuro-Ocular Syndrome (SANS), a condition affecting astronauts’ vision during extended periods in microgravity. Changes in spinal fluid pressure can cause symptoms like blurred vision, posing a serious challenge for long-duration missions. The crew plans to measure this pressure using non-invasive methods, and Scott Poteet may undergo a pioneering invasive procedure involving a surgically implanted device to monitor spinal fluid pressure in space for the first time.

The First Commercial Spacewalk: A Historic Milestone

Polaris Dawn aims to achieve a landmark first in spaceflight history: the first spacewalk conducted by a private mission. Spacewalks, or extravehicular activities (EVAs), have traditionally been the domain of government space agencies like NASA, dating back to the Gemini IV mission in 1965.

The crew will don SpaceX’s newly developed EVA suits, designed to be more flexible and accommodating than the bulky suits used in past missions. These suits aim to support a wider range of body types and provide greater mobility, aligning with SpaceX’s long-term vision of establishing a lunar base and eventually a city on Mars.

The spacewalk is expected to last around two hours, including the time required to exit and re-enter the spacecraft safely. This milestone represents not only a technical achievement but also a symbolic step toward democratizing access to space.

Testing Starlink Connectivity and Inspiring the Next Generation

In addition to health and EVA objectives, Polaris Dawn will test Starlink, SpaceX’s satellite internet service, from orbit. This experiment aims to demonstrate reliable internet connectivity beyond Earth, which could be crucial for future space habitats and missions.

The mission also carries a philanthropic component. Funds raised will support St. Jude Children’s Hospital, continuing the charitable legacy of Inspiration4. Anna Menon plans to engage young audiences by streaming readings of her children’s book from space, hoping to inspire interest in science and exploration among children worldwide.

Rigorous Preparation and Future Prospects

The crew has undergone extensive training over several years, including skydiving, high-altitude mountaineering, and centrifuge sessions similar to those used by NASA astronauts. This preparation reflects the mission’s complexity and the physical demands of deep space travel.

Despite the thorough readiness of the crew, the launch date remains tentative and could be postponed depending on technical readiness. Nevertheless, the mission promises to yield valuable insights for future endeavors, particularly for SpaceX’s Starship program, which aims to transport large numbers of humans to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

Scott Poteet emphasized the mission’s broader vision: sharing lessons learned to enable humanity’s collective journey to deeper space. Polaris Dawn represents a key step toward making space travel more accessible and sustainable.

What this means

Polaris Dawn stands as a landmark mission at the intersection of private enterprise and human space exploration. By pushing technological boundaries, conducting vital health research, and achieving the first commercial spacewalk, it sets the stage for a new era where space is increasingly accessible beyond government programs. While technical challenges remain and the launch date may shift, the mission’s potential contributions to science and exploration are profound. As SpaceX and its crew prepare to embark on this journey, Polaris Dawn exemplifies humanity’s enduring drive to explore and inhabit the cosmos, inspiring future generations and paving the way for sustainable life beyond Earth.