Launch of a Billionaire’s Private Crew on a Milestone Spacewalk Mission by SpaceX

On 10 September 2024, four private individuals embarked on a five-day mission called Polaris Dawn in a modified SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule. The mission's goals include conducting the first private spacewalk and testing new types of spacesuits.

Takeoff occurred at approximately 5:23 a.m. EST (0923 GMT) from NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. The crew consisted of a billionaire entrepreneur, a retired military fighter pilot, and two workers of SpaceX.

After around ninety-five minutes, the spacecraft entered orbit, and as the crew began to feel the effects of free fall, or zero gravity, they playfully tossed a small plush astronaut toy dog around. Three minutes later, the Crew Dragon spacecraft detached from its supporting trunk, and the cameras inside showed an amazing picture of the Earth lit up by the sun.

By radio, SpaceX Launch Director Frank Messina reminded the crew that their bravery illuminates the path for future explorers as they looked towards the North Star. "Sending you hugs from the ground, we have faith in your abilities, courage, and collaboration to complete the upcoming task," he said.

The Most Dangerous Mission of Crew Dragon

This special mission is the fifth and most dangerous one that Crew Dragon has undertaken. By the time the spacecraft reaches its final orbital phase, it will have traveled the furthest any human has gone since the Apollo moon landings in 1972, with a range of 190 km (118 miles) near Earth and 1,400 km (870 miles) beyond.

A minor helium leak in ground equipment on SpaceX's launchpad caused the postponement of a launch attempt last month, just hours before liftoff. After SpaceX repaired the leak, the launch of Polaris was further delayed when U.S. regulators grounded the company's Falcon 9 due to a booster recovery failure on an unrelated mission.

Previous spacewalks were conducted solely by government astronauts who were highly trained and financially supported. Since its establishment in 2000, there have been around 270 astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS), with 16 of those astronauts hailing from China and stationed on Beijing's Tiangong space station.

Third-Day Spacewalk Scheduled

On the third day of the mission, at an altitude of 700 km, the Polaris Dawn spacewalk is scheduled to take place, and it is expected to last approximately 20 minutes. All four men will depend on their slimmed-down, SpaceX-built spacesuits for oxygen as the entire cabin of SpaceX's Crew Dragon craft is gradually depressurised.

The vessel lacks an airlock, unlike the International Space Station. Similar to the method intended for Polaris Dawn, the first U.S. spacewalk was place in 1965 aboard a Gemini spacecraft. The astronaut in a spacesuit was tethered to the outside when the hatch was opened and the pressure within the capsule was reduced.

SpaceX Success Story - How it will colonise Mars?

Read all about SpaceX - an American manufacturing and space transportation services company founded in 2002 by Elon Musk, and how it is finding its way to Mars.

StartupTalkyPurbalee Dutta