SpaceX Launches Private Polaris Dawn Mission for Farthest Human Spaceflight Since Apollo

SpaceX is set to launch the private Polaris Dawn mission, which will include the first commercial spacewalk using new SpaceX EVA suits. The mission will also reach a maximum altitude of 870 miles, the farthest since the Apollo era.

The crew, consisting of billionaire Jared Isaacman, pilot Scott Poteet, SpaceX engineer Sarah Gillis, and chief medical officer Anna Menon, will attempt the first private spacewalk. The mission is part of Isaacman's Polaris Program and aims to support St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

The crew will break records for the highest spaceflight by female astronauts and the highest human spaceflight since Apollo while conducting nearly 40 experiments. The mission is scheduled to launch on August 27, with a backup opportunity on August 28. During the spacewalk, the Crew Dragon capsule will depressurize entirely as it lacks an airlock.

This mission will test new technologies and systems, including a heads-up display in the spacesuits, before the crew returns to Earth. The Polaris Dawn mission marks a significant milestone in private space exploration and demonstrates the capabilities of SpaceX's spacecraft and spacesuits.