Space Exploration Enterprise (SpaceX) intends to propel astronauts into an elevated Earth orbit for the initial time.
On Wednesday morning at 9:38 CEST, SpaceX is set to send astronauts to an exceptionally high Earth orbit. This mission, named "Polaris Dawn", could last up to five days, and following their launch from Cape Canaveral, the four-person crew will travel roughly 700 kilometers away from our planet. This will make the furthest humans have ever been from Earth since the Apollo missions to the Moon in the '70s, SpaceX reveals. For perspective, the International Space Station (ISS) orbits at a height of approximately 400 kilometers.
Billionaire Jared Isaacman, who's coordinating the mission with SpaceX's Elon Musk, will act as the mission's commander. Accompanying Isaacman will be astronauts Kidd Poteet, Sarah Gillis, and Anna Menon, who will journey into space aboard the "Dragon" spacecraft powered by a "Falcon 9" rocket. During the mission, the astronauts will execute their first-ever spacewalk, offering them more freedom. SpaceX will also use this opportunity to test its new spacesuit for extravehicular activities.
The upcoming spacewalk, dubbed "the first commercial spacewalk" by the project's website, will boost astronaut mobility. Additionally, it consists of a helmet-mounted display, a camera, and novelties like temperature-regulating materials for supporting the astronauts in the freezing vacuum of space.
The "Dragon" spacecraft, powered by a "Falcon 9" rocket, will take the astronauts into an exceptionally high Earth orbit, circumnavigating our planet at a distance of approximately 700 kilometers. Once in this orbit, the astronauts will conduct their mission activities, including the first-ever commercial spacewalk, which will take place within this orbital path.
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