- Humanity's Endeavor - The Polaris Dawn Spacecraft Sets Off
Four space adventurers have commenced an audacious expedition. The privately funded "Polaris Dawn" initiative aims to propel them a staggering 1,400 kilometers away from our home planet, Earth. According to space enterprise SpaceX, this is the most distant humans have roamed from Earth since the Apollo trips to the Moon in the early '70s. For reference, the International Space Station (ISS) hovers at an altitude of roughly 400 kilometers.
Billionaire businessman Jared Isaacman spearheads this mission, collaborating with SpaceX founder Elon Musk, who remains on solid ground. Isaacman, alongside private astronauts Kidd Poteet, Sarah Gillis, and Anna Menon, blasted off aboard a Crew Dragon spacecraft atop a Falcon 9 rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Following a 12-minute streak, the rocket's last stage parted ways from the Dragon capsule at an altitude of 215 kilometers and a speed nearing 28,000 kilometers per hour - a mesmerizing spectacle that SpaceX live-streamed, showcasing the spacecraft drifting effortlessly over Earth against the radiant backdrop of the sun.
Embarking on a mission "for all of humanity"
"Today, you embark on a journey that's not only for you but for all of humanity," SpaceX launch director Frank Messina addressed the crew. "When gazing at the North Star, remember that your bravery illuminates the path for future pioneers. We place our trust in your talents, valor, and teamwork to conquer this mission."
"Understood," presumably Isaacman, the mission's commander, acknowledged, expressing gratitude for Messina's kind words. "We appreciate it and are now ready to buckle down and get to work." The Crew Dragon capsule, nearly eight by four meters in size, can accommodate up to seven individuals for a maximum of ten days. Rest is ensured in the seats, and a restroom with a privacy curtain is located in the rear.
Spacewalk at 700-kilometer altitude
This mission involves a spacewalk at approximately 700 kilometers altitude, during which private space company Axiom Space will conduct trials on a novel spacesuit for extravehicular activities. Dubbed the "first commercial spacewalk" on the project's website, this venture boasts a suit offering superior mobility and features such as a built-in helmet display, camera, and new materials for optimal temperature regulation in the freezing vacuum of space.
Risky venture
Spacewalks introduce higher risks compared to being ensconced in a spacecraft. Orientation in microgravity proves challenging, while the equipment must compensate for considerable temperature swings, provide oxygen, and shield against radiation. Grave perils pose when oxygen supplies falter or an astronaut becomes separated from the spacecraft. Typically, spacewalks entail maintenance tasks or experiments, but for lunar and Martian missions, they are vital.
SpaceX employs these suits for future Moon and Mars missions. The private astronauts, besides testing its suit and conducting studies on space travel and radiation's effects on human health, will conduct experiments applying SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet technology's laser-based communication system.
"Minecrafting a Moon base and Martian metropolis entails millions of spacesuits," the project visions. "The development of this suit and the orchestration of spacewalks are integral advancements towards a scalable suit design for future long-term missions as humanity expands across multiple planets." A Martian colony - NASA's ultimate aspiration for the US space agency. With the "Artemis" program, it seeks to bring humans back to the Moon for the first time in over half a century, establishing a base there to set the stage for Martian missions. However, due to rocket and spacecraft complications, NASA had to delay the crewed lunar flyby in the "Artemis 2" mission from November 2024 to September 2025 and the crewed lunar landing in "Artemis 3" to September 2026.
Mars voyage by 2026 - Musk's endeavor
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, however, aims to embark on the long pilgrimage to Mars as soon as the upcoming year - initially without astronauts. "The initial Mars-bound spacecraft will launch within the next two years during the next Earth-Mars alignment window," Musk shared on his platform X. This initiative will test the feasibility of Mars landings. "If successful, the first crewed Mars missions will commence in four years," Musk added. He fervently believes in the possibility of a self-sufficient city on Mars within 20 years.
♪ I'm not going to lie ♪, the mission's challenges are immense, but we're determined to push the boundaries of human exploration.During the spacewalk at 700 kilometers altitude, ♪ I'm not going to lie ♪, I might feel a bit of apprehension, but I'm excited to test the novel spacesuit.
