A SpaceX capsule carrying four private citizens, including entrepreneur Jared Isaacman and retired Air Force Lt. Col. Scott “Kidd” Poteet, was delayed after a helium leak forced a launch delay until later in the week. The mission, known as Polaris Dawn, was supposed to include the first spacewalk carried out by a civilian crew. The crew is scheduled to launch into low-Earth orbit and conduct a spacewalk on the third day of the mission. The Crew Dragon capsule carrying the astronauts is expected to reach an altitude of 870 miles above Earth’s surface, passing through the inner regions of the Van Allen radiation belt. This will allow for research on the effects of space radiation on both the astronauts and the spacecraft, which could help in planning future missions to the moon and Mars. Polaris Dawn is the first of three planned spaceflights funded and organized by Isaacman with SpaceX, with objectives and timing of the other expeditions yet to be disclosed. This mission is a setback for SpaceX, which has been successfully transporting NASA astronauts to and from the International Space Station since 2020, as this is the first time a private civilian crew will be conducting a spacewalk.
Photo credit
www.nbcnews.com
