Following extensive delays, the SpaceX Polaris Dawn mission has successfully lifted off from Earth and entered orbit. The private spacefaring mission has several objectives but the main one is also the sexiest — the first private spacewalk from a crewed orbital capsule.
That will take place two days into Polaris Dawn’s projected five-day mission, on 12 September. Based on SpaceX’s concept videos, it’s little more than opening the door to Crew Dragon and having the crew poke their heads out, but even that’s terrifying enough, surely?
Polaris Dawn rising
Today’s SpaceX mission saw billionaire enthusiast Jared Isaacman, Anna Menon, Scott Poteet, and Sarah Gillis all launched into orbit on top of one of Elon Musk’s Falcon 9 rockets. Everything operated flawlessly, from propellant loading and main ignition to the secondary engine cutoff (at about 28,000km/h) and the Crew Dragon separation from the secondary booster.
The first-stage booster performed a textbook landing on SpaceX ocean barge Just Follow The Instructions partway into the launch. That will go on to be reused for yet another SpaceX mission.
The crew of Polaris Dawn has several missions for this flight. EVA suits will be tested, as will laser-based communications. SpaceX also hopes to set a new distance record for crewed human flight on this mission. We’ll check in later this week when the door to Crew Dragon opens way out in space.