SpaceX to Launch Private Mission Featuring First All-Civilian Spacewalk

A SpaceX capsule carrying four private citizens, including billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman, launched on a five-day mission known as Polaris Dawn. The mission aims to reach an orbital altitude of 870 miles, higher than the International Space Station, to test new spacesuits and technologies for future missions to the moon and Mars. The launch was delayed due to a helium leak and poor weather, but successfully took off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The crew, which includes retired Air Force Lt. Col. Scott “Kidd” Poteet and SpaceX engineers, will conduct the first spacewalk by an all-civilian crew during the mission. Isaacman, who funded the first all-civilian SpaceX mission in 2021, is funding the Polaris Dawn mission in partnership with SpaceX. The spacewalk is scheduled for the third day, with Isaacman and Gillis exiting the spacecraft on a tether while wearing newly designed spacesuits due to the lack of a pressurized airlock. The mission aims to push the boundaries of civilian space exploration and pave the way for future long-duration missions beyond Earth’s orbit.

Photo credit
www.nbcnews.com