Cape Canaveral, Florida – A historic commercial astronaut mission is preparing for liftoff in the early hours of Wednesday morning. The Polaris Dawn mission will see four crew members board a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft for a five-day mission in orbit around the Earth.
Led by billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman, the crew will venture further into space than any humans since the Apollo missions over 50 years ago. The mission will also mark the first commercial spacewalk in history, a significant milestone in space exploration.
Originally scheduled for Tuesday morning, the launch was postponed by 24 hours for additional pre-launch checkouts. SpaceX announced that the rocket was in good health, but further inspection was needed due to a ground-side helium leak on the Quick Disconnect umbilical.
In addition to Isaacman, the crew includes Pilot Scott “Kidd” Poteet, Mission Specialist and Medical Officer Anna Menon, and Mission Specialist Sarah Gillis. Menon and Gillis will be the first SpaceX employees to travel to space, marking another milestone for the company.
The Falcon 9 rocket is set to launch the mission from Launch Complex 39A at 3:38 a.m. EDT, with two backup launch opportunities later in the morning if needed. Spaceflight Now will provide live coverage of the mission leading up to liftoff.
The Polaris Dawn mission will be Isaacman’s second journey to space and his second time serving as a mission commander aboard a Crew Dragon spacecraft. The mission represents a significant team effort, showcasing progress both in space and here on Earth.
The mission will see the Falcon 9 rocket, tail number B1083, launch for the fourth time. The Crew Dragon spacecraft, named ‘Resilience,’ will be making its third trip to space for this mission, standing at 65 meters tall.
Throughout the mission, the crew will surpass the distance traveled by humans since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972, reaching an apogee of 1,400 km. This journey will provide valuable insights into human health, science, and research, potentially informing future missions to Mars.
In addition to setting a new distance record, the Polaris Dawn mission will include a spacewalk on the third day of the flight. With the crew exiting the Dragon capsule using a hand-and-foot-rail system named ‘Skywalker,’ the mission will offer a unique opportunity for research and discovery in space.