Testing SpaceX's capabilities: The Polaris Dawn mission to Earth's orbit

The Polaris Dawn mission, launching in 2024, will push the limits of SpaceX's capabilities for a commercial space program. The crew of four will conduct the first private spacewalk and test communications and radiation in an orbit higher than any astronauts have been in over 50 years.

Led by tech billionaire Jared Isaacman, the mission is part of the Polaris program, which aims to raise funds for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and expand SpaceX's abilities for future space exploration. The spacecraft will travel to an orbit of approximately 434 miles (700 km) to reduce radiation exposure.

The mission builds on Isaacman's previous commercial spaceflight, Inspiration4, and counters criticisms of billionaires' space activities.