SpaceX is targeting Tuesday, August 27th for the launch of the highly anticipated Polaris Dawn mission. The mission will send a Crew Dragon spacecraft to its highest orbit yet and will feature the first-ever private spacewalk. The event promises to be historic, and you can follow the action live as it unfolds.
Polaris Dawn will take four people to Earth orbit aboard a Crew Dragon capsule, which will launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The spacecraft will lift off atop a Falcon 9 rocket during a four-hour window that opens at 3:38 a.m. ET (0738 GMT) on Tuesday. Initially scheduled for August 26th, the launch was delayed by a day to allow for additional checkouts.
How to Watch the Launch and Spacewalk
Both the launch and the spacewalk, scheduled for Flight Day 3 (around August 29th), will be livestreamed on the Polaris Dawn and SpaceX feeds on X (formerly Twitter). The launch webcast will begin about an hour before liftoff, giving viewers ample time to tune in and watch.
You can also follow along with the live webcast hosted on Space.com. Expect to see stunning footage from the ground, the rocket's exterior, and inside the Crew Dragon capsule.
The Polaris Dawn crew will be led by Jared Isaacman, a billionaire entrepreneur and the mission's funder and commander. Joining him will be Scott "Kidd" Poteet, a retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel; Sarah Gillis, a SpaceX engineer; and Anna Menon, another SpaceX engineer.
During the five-day mission, the Crew Dragon will ascend to a record-high orbit, reaching approximately 435 miles (700 kilometers) above Earth. This distance is about 185 miles (297.73 km) above the International Space Station, where most Crew Dragon missions are typically docked for NASA astronaut operations.
The Spacewalk and Scientific Endeavors
On the second day of the mission, Isaacman and Gillis will embark on a two-hour spacewalk, making it the first private spacewalk in history. This walk will serve as a test of a newly designed spacesuit, evaluated in the vacuum of space. In addition to this groundbreaking EVA (extravehicular activity), the crew will also carry out a series of science and technology experiments while in orbit.
The Polaris Dawn Program
Polaris Dawn is the first of three planned missions in the Polaris Program, all of which are funded and led by Isaacman. Each mission aims to push the boundaries of private space exploration and develop technologies that could aid future human spaceflight missions.
This mission represents another step forward in the rapidly evolving field of commercial space exploration, marking new milestones for private ventures in space. Don't miss the chance to witness history as it happens.