In the early hours of September 10, SpaceX's Polaris Dawn mission launched with a historic aim: to conduct the first-ever private spacewalk. The mission lifted off from Launch Complex-39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center at 5:23 a.m. EDT (0923 GMT) atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. This launch site, also known for its role in NASA's Apollo moon missions, provided a fitting backdrop for this groundbreaking event.
The Falcon 9 rocket roared off the pad, its nine Merlin engines illuminating the early morning sky as it ascended into space. After a delay from the originally scheduled August 26 launch due to preflight checks and subsequent weather-related postponements, the rocket finally completed its ascent and landed successfully on SpaceX's autonomous droneship, Just Read the Instructions, positioned off Florida's coast.
Approximately 2 minutes and 40 seconds into the flight, the Falcon 9's first stage separated from the second stage as planned. The Crew Dragon spacecraft, named Resilience, detached from the rocket's upper stage just over 12 minutes post-launch. Polaris Dawn's commander, billionaire Jared Isaacman, thanked the mission's supporters and conveyed their readiness to embark on their mission.
The Crew Dragon entered an initial elliptical orbit with a maximum altitude of about 745 miles (1,200 kilometers) and a minimum of 118 miles (190 km). The crew will later adjust their orbit to reach 870 miles (1,400 km), surpassing the altitude of any human mission since Apollo 17 in 1972.
Isaacman, who previously led the Inspiration4 mission in 2021, is joined on Polaris Dawn by SpaceX employees Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon, and retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Scott "Kidd" Poteet, the mission pilot. They will spend five days in space, conducting various experiments and preparing for the mission's centerpiece: a commercial spacewalk.
On the third day, the crew will perform the EVA (extravehicular activity), aiming to test SpaceX's new EVA spacesuits. Since Crew Dragon lacks an airlock, the entire capsule will be exposed to space during the spacewalk, with only Isaacman and Gillis exiting the spacecraft. This spacewalk is expected to last around two hours, from the initial depressurization of the capsule to its subsequent repressurization.
Additionally, Polaris Dawn will feature a Starlink demonstration and a surprise message sent via SpaceX's internet satellites on the fourth day. The mission's final day will focus on preparations for the return journey, with splashdown anticipated six days after launch. The Crew Dragon will complete a series of deorbit burns before landing in one of several designated zones off the coast of Florida, where recovery teams will be waiting.
The Polaris Dawn mission marks a significant milestone in private space exploration, combining technological innovation with ambitious spaceflight goals.
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