Launch of Polaris dawn is scheduled for the early hours of Monday, September 9.
SpaceX is getting ready to launch a billionaire-led crew on a first-of-its-kind mission that’s far more dangerous than any other private venture to space. The private crew will attempt many firsts, including the first commercial spacewalk, the first time SpaceX’s extravehicular spacesuits are worn by astronauts, and the first test of Starlink’s laser-based communication in space.. The initial attempt at launch was on August 28, but it had to be postponed due to an issue with ground equipment.
The four-person crew will ride on board SpaceX’s crew capsule, which is set to reach higher altitudes than any other Dragon spacecraft. The capsule is expected to reach a maximum orbit of 870 miles above Earth, also setting a new record for Earth-orbit apogee for a crewed mission. NASA’s Apollo missions may have traveled farther to reach the Moon, but the spacecraft didn’t reach such high altitudes while orbiting Earth.
Unlike the International Space Station, Dragon isn’t equipped with an airlock. Therefore, in order for two crew members to exit the crew capsule and out into space, the entire spacecraft will have to be depressurized for about two hours, exposing all four astronauts to the vacuum of space. That means the entire crew will have to rely on their spacesuits—which are being worn in space for the very first time—for their survival during that time.
As part of the mission, the crew will also be the first to test SpaceX’s Starlink laser-based communication in space. The company’s broadband satellites use lasers to relay data between one another at the speed of light, and SpaceX is hoping to develop the technology to aid in communication systems for future missions to the Moon and Mars.
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