Polaris Dawn Mission Overview

What was the primary purpose of reaching a high altitude during the Polaris Dawn mission?

Who served as the mission leader for the Polaris Dawn mission?

Which mission's altitude record did Polaris Dawn surpass?

What was a notable feature of the new SpaceX spacesuits used during the spacesuit test?

At what time did the Dragon capsule successfully splash down into the Gulf of Mexico?

How long did the Polaris Dawn mission last?

Which context describes the initial lift-off location for the Dragon capsule?

What was the maximum altitude reached by the Polaris Dawn mission?

SpaceX Polaris Dawn Mission: A Summary

SpaceX's Polaris Dawn mission, the first of three commercial missions under the Polaris program, successfully completed on September 15, 2024.
The five-day mission involved a crew of all civilian astronauts, exceeding altitude records previously held by the Gemini 11 mission.
The Dragon capsule launched on September 10, 2024, from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, with Jared Isaacman as mission leader and Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon, SpaceX employees, and Scott Poteet, a retired US Air Force pilot.
The spacecraft reached a peak altitude of 870 miles (1,400 km) above Earth on September 11, 2024—higher than any prior civilian spaceflight since the Apollo missions.
This altitude allowed evaluation of radiation impacts on the Dragon capsule and crew for future lunar and deep-space missions.
Gillis and Menon made history as the first women to reach that extreme altitude.
On September 12, 2024, a pioneering civilian spacewalk was conducted by Isaacman and Gillis.
The spacewalk used new SpaceX spacesuits with reduced life support systems, relying on a tether for oxygen.
The mission ended on September 15, 2024, when the Dragon capsule splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico.
Post-mission medical assessments of the crew are underway to understand the effects of space travel.

Explore the achievements of SpaceX's Polaris Dawn mission, which marked a significant milestone in civilian space exploration. This five-day mission set altitude records and involved groundbreaking efforts, including the first civilian spacewalk. Learn about the crew and the implications for future missions beyond Earth.