This Polaris Dawn highlight recap is designed to give you quick facts and curated clips without the noise of overlapping reels and ads encountered beyond the comfort of our lounge. Clicking any video should take you to the web version or you can access it here.
Launch
The SpaceX Polaris Dawn mission launched on September 10, 2024 at 5:23 AM EDT from Kennedy Space Center, Florida. The civilian crew includes Commander Jared Isaacman, Pilot Scott Poteet, Operations Engineer Sarah Gillis, and Medical Engineer Anna Menon. The mission's objectives are the first commercial spacewalk, testing SpaceX's spacesuit and Starlink laser communications, and studying space radiation while raising funds for St. Jude Children's Hospital.
Apogee
Polaris Dawn reached an apogee of 870 miles (three times higher than the ISS) marking the highest Earth altitude since Apollo 17 in 1972 and setting a record for the highest orbit ever achieved by female astronauts, demonstrating the potential of civilian spaceflight for future deep space missions.
Spacewalk
Polaris Dawn completed the first commercial spacewalk on September 13, 2024, lasting 26 minutes and 40 seconds. Isaacman and Gillis alternated spacewalks, performing mobility tests to evaluate new SpaceX's suits.
The two astronauts partially emerged from the hatch, maintaining contact with the capsule while conducting the tests. Poteet and Menon assisted from within the capsule, but also were exposed to the vacuum of space due to no airlock. Once all were back inside, the capsule was resealed and refilled with oxygen.
The half-emerged spacewalk may seem tame, but attempting the first civilian EVA in an unproven SpaceX suit, fully exposed to the hazardous conditions of space, is undeniably bold. In the clip below, Gillis is testing the flexibility of the suit.
Splashdown
The Polaris Dawn mission splashed down safely in the Gulf of Mexico on September 15, 2024, at 3:36 AM EDT, after 5 days in orbit.
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