The eagerly anticipated Polaris Dawn mission officially began early this morning, launching from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Spearheaded by SpaceX and financed by billionaire Jared Isaacman, this private spaceflight has now embarked on its designated five-day orbit around Earth, according to reporting by the Houston Chronicle.
Defying prior setbacks mostly due to inclement weather conditions and technical evaluations, Polaris Dawn managed to smoothly rise at 5:23 a.m. Eastern time. This mission marks a significant milestone, being poised to attempt the first-ever commercial spacewalk and to reach an apogee greater than any other human since the Apollo era. The Space.com article sheds light on the mission's trajectory, observing that after reaching their initial orbit, the crew will further maneuver their Craft Dragon spacecraft to soar even higher, to approximately 870 miles above Earth.
The crew comprises Isaacman, alongside Mission Pilot Scott Poteet, and SpaceX employees Mission Specialist Sarah Gillis, and Mission Specialist and Medical Officer Anna Menon. Notably, Menon's personal journey to the stars had its genesis during an elementary school field trip, cementing her aspiration which she now brings full circle as she reads a book she authored for children during the mission, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Spanning the mission's timeline, the crew has an array of objectives laid out. Among these is the crucial extravehicular activity (EVA), scheduled to unfold on the mission's third day. During this event, Isaacman and Gillis are set to boldly don their suits and step outside the spacecraft meticulously, testing the design and agility of SpaceX's recently developed EVA spacesuits. "We wouldn't be on this journey without all 14,000 of you back home and everyone else cheering us on," Isaacman told SpaceX mission control shortly after Crew Dragon's orbital entry, as quoted by Space.com.
Polaris Dawn's itinerary also includes conducting roughly 40 scientific studies, confirming the versatility of this mission beyond its historic undertakings. Furthermore, the fourth day promises to feature a Starlink demonstration, hinting at a "surprising message" that is to be beamed back to Earth using SpaceX's satellite constellation. As the mission concludes, the Crew Dragon is slated for a splashdown approximately six days after launch near the coast of Florida, where recovery teams will await their arrival.
