SpaceX's Polaris Dawn Crew Now In "Zero-G" Ahead Of Historic Spacewalk

On September 10, 2024, SpaceX launched its Polaris Dawn mission, marking the first all-civilian spacewalk. The crew of four includes billionaire Jared Isaacman, retired Air Force Lt. Col. Scott Poteet, and SpaceX engineers Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon. The mission aims to reach an altitude of 870 miles above Earth, three times higher than the International Space Station, making it the highest human spaceflight since the Apollo moon mission in 1972. During the five-day mission, the crew will conduct a series of tests, including the first commercial spacewalk, using next-generation spacesuits. They will also test a new communication system via Starlink satellites, revolutionizing space communications. Polaris Dawn will also conduct scientific research, including experiments on human health in space. Its success will reinforce SpaceX's dominance in the space race, potentially leading to future Mars missions. The launch was initially delayed due to technical and weather issues but successfully lifted off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center. SpaceX continues to provide flight status updates on Twitter.