Cape Canaveral, Florida – SpaceX is gearing up to launch a pioneering private crew of astronauts on a groundbreaking five-day journey through Earth’s orbit. During this mission, they will have the distinction of being the first to test out SpaceX’s latest spacesuit design in a historic spacewalk.
Recently, SpaceX unveiled the long-awaited design of its extravehicular activity (EVA) suit in an update on their website. These new spacesuits are set to be worn by the Polaris Dawn crew as part of a series of private astronaut missions led by billionaire Jared Isaacman. The inaugural mission of the program is expected to launch this summer.
The upcoming mission will see SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft embark on an elliptical orbit around Earth, where the private astronauts will engage in data collection and conduct various research and experiments. A key highlight of this mission is the planned commercial astronaut spacewalk, marking a significant milestone for both SpaceX and the crew aboard the Dragon spacecraft.
Reports have indicated challenges faced by SpaceX during the design phase of the new EVA suits, leading to delays in the launch of the Polaris Dawn mission. Sources suggest that SpaceX underestimated the complexity of converting their pressurized suit design into an EVA suit, contributing to the setbacks.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk previously expressed the need to redesign the suits for improved mobility during a presentation earlier this year. The company has since made strides in addressing these challenges, aiming to enhance the functionality and comfort of the suits for the astronauts.
Incorporating new materials, fabrication processes, and innovative joint designs, SpaceX’s new spacesuits prioritize mobility while ensuring comfort in pressurized and unpressurized scenarios. The suits feature a 3D-printed helmet with a visor to reduce sun glare, a Heads-Up Display (HUD), and a camera to provide crucial information to astronauts during the spacewalk.
Additionally, the suits boast a scalable design to accommodate different body types, aligning with SpaceX’s goal of increasing accessibility to space. With an eye towards future exploration of the Moon and Mars, SpaceX aims to utilize these new suit designs in their long-term vision of colonizing the Red Planet.
As SpaceX continues to push boundaries in space exploration, the development and testing of these innovative spacesuits mark an essential step towards enabling human spaceflight missions to new frontiers.