SpaceX Polaris Dawn crew set for historic private spacewalk
Wednesday, 11 September 2024 06:10
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A private crew set out on an audacious orbital expedition Tuesday, journeying deeper into the cosmos than any humans in half a century as they prepare for the first ever spacewalk by non-professional astronauts.
The SpaceX Polaris Dawn mission, led by Shift4 Payments CEO Jared Isaacman, launched early morning from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and attained its peak altitude of 870 miles (1,400 kilometers) later that day.
"Achievement unlocked—apogee 1,400.7 km," SpaceX said on X Tuesday night.
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National lab takes its radiation expertise to space
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For the five-day mission, experiments from the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and several other institutions will circle the Earth 435 miles above—nearly twice as high as the International Space Station. Before settling in at that altitude, Polaris Dawn will reach 870 miles, the highest that any person has been since NASA's Apollo program several decades ago.
Who is on SpaceX's historic private spacewalk mission?
Tuesday, 10 September 2024 19:30 Write a comment
Four US civilians are set to attempt the first-ever private spacewalk on Thursday—a risky endeavor usually reserved for trained astronauts from government agencies.
The ambitious mission, dubbed Polaris Dawn, is being carried out on a SpaceX capsule that launched early Tuesday from Florida.
Who are the select few to pioneer this new chapter of space exploration?
Jared Isaacman, billionaire
The driving force behind the mission is Jared Isaacman, a billionaire who serves as mission commander.
The 41-year-old American from Pennsylvania is the CEO of the digital finance company Shift4 Payments, which he founded in his family's basement when he was only 16.
Isaacman is a seasoned pilot who is qualified to fly military aircraft and holds several world records.
He had previously gone into space in 2021 as part of another SpaceX mission he chartered, Inspiration4, which was the first orbital spacecraft to feature no professional astronauts.
SpaceX successfully launches all-civilian crew for historic private spacewalk
Tuesday, 10 September 2024 19:24 Write a comment
SpaceX successfully launched the Polaris Dawn mission early Tuesday morning, marking the beginning of a multiday orbital expedition featuring the first-ever spacewalk conducted by private citizens. The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off at 5:23 a.m. ET from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
"Liftoff of Polaris Dawn!" SpaceX announced on X, along with an image of the rocket ascending into the China expands global partnerships for Lunar Research Station
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