Washington: SpaceX is set to conduct the first-ever private spacewalk next week, marking a significant milestone in space exploration. This mission, dubbed Polaris Dawn, will test innovative equipment, including slim spacesuits and a Crew Dragon cabin that lacks a traditional airlock, making it one of SpaceX’s riskiest endeavors to date.
Scheduled for launch on Tuesday, the mission will carry a team consisting of billionaire Jared Isaacman, a retired military fighter pilot, and two SpaceX engineers. The crew will embark on a 20-minute spacewalk two days later, at an altitude of 434 miles (700 km) above Earth.
Unlike previous spacewalks conducted by government astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) 250 miles (400 km) above Earth, Polaris Dawn will operate at significantly higher altitudes. The mission will follow an oval-shaped orbit, ranging from as close as 190 km (118 miles) to as far as 1,400 km (870 miles) from Earth. This distance marks the farthest human venture since the Apollo moon program ended in 1972.
The Crew Dragon spacecraft has been modified to open its hatch door in the vacuum of space, bypassing the need for an airlock. The crew will wear new, slimline spacesuits designed by SpaceX. “They’re pushing the envelope in multiple ways,” said retired NASA astronaut Garrett Reisman. “They’re also going to a much higher altitude, with a more severe radiation environment than we’ve been to since Apollo.”
The mission, funded by Isaacman—founder of electronic payment company Shift4—is estimated to cost over $100 million. Alongside Isaacman, the crew includes mission pilot Scott Poteet, a retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel, and SpaceX engineers Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon.
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Polaris Dawn represents a major step forward for SpaceX, which is known for its cost-effective, reusable rockets and private spaceflight advancements. The mission will test Crew Dragon’s electronics and shielding as the spacecraft traverses the Van Allen belts, an area with charged particles from the sun that can impact electronic systems and human health.
“The Polaris spacewalk will take place on the mission’s third day, but preparation will begin about 45 hours in advance,” said Emmanuel Urquieta, vice chair for aerospace medicine at the University of Central Florida’s internal medicine department. The Crew Dragon cabin will be depressurized, and only two astronauts will float outside, tethered by an oxygen line. The crew will rely on their spacesuits for life support.
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In preparation, the crew will undergo a “pre-breathe” process to fill the cabin with pure oxygen and remove nitrogen from the air to prevent decompression sickness. They will use ultrasound devices to monitor for nitrogen bubble formation, among other tools for scientific experiments that will provide insights into deep space and lunar environments.
While NASA missions follow stringent safety standards, private missions like Polaris Dawn operate without specific U.S. regulations for spaceflight safety. SpaceX and the Polaris crew have planned for various contingency scenarios but have not detailed them publicly. Reisman acknowledged the crew’s preparedness but noted, “There’s not a lot of room for error.”
