Podcast
Questions and Answers
What significant milestone did SpaceX achieve on September 15, 2024?
What significant milestone did SpaceX achieve on September 15, 2024?
Who served as the mission leader during the Polaris Dawn mission?
Who served as the mission leader during the Polaris Dawn mission?
What was the altitude reached by the Dragon capsule on September 11, 2024?
What was the altitude reached by the Dragon capsule on September 11, 2024?
What was the primary scientific purpose of the high-altitude flight during the Polaris Dawn mission?
What was the primary scientific purpose of the high-altitude flight during the Polaris Dawn mission?
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What feature did the new SpaceX spacesuits notably lack during the mission?
What feature did the new SpaceX spacesuits notably lack during the mission?
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What was the duration of the civilian spacewalk conducted during the Polaris Dawn mission?
What was the duration of the civilian spacewalk conducted during the Polaris Dawn mission?
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Which previous mission held the record for the highest human spaceflight before the Polaris Dawn mission?
Which previous mission held the record for the highest human spaceflight before the Polaris Dawn mission?
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How did Isaacman and Gillis prepare for the civilian spacewalk in terms of safety measures?
How did Isaacman and Gillis prepare for the civilian spacewalk in terms of safety measures?
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Study Notes
SpaceX Polaris Dawn Mission
- SpaceX completed Polaris Dawn, the first of three missions under the Polaris program, successfully on September 15, 2024.
- A civilian crew aboard the Dragon capsule performed a pioneering spacewalk.
- The mission used a Dragon capsule that launched from Florida's Kennedy Space Center on September 10, 2024.
- Jared Isaacman, a billionaire entrepreneur, led the mission, along with SpaceX employees Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon, and retired US Air Force pilot Scott Poteet.
Mission Highlights
- The spacecraft reached a record altitude of 870 miles (1,400 km) above Earth, surpassing the previous record held by Gemini 11.
- This altitude was reached on September 11, 2024.
- This was the highest human spaceflight altitude since the Apollo missions.
- The flight also saw Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon become the first women to achieve such high altitude.
- The mission aimed to study the increased radiation levels at higher altitudes on the Dragon capsule and crew.
- A crucial test was the first-ever civilian spacewalk.
- This occurred on September 12, 2024, with Isaacman and Gillis.
- They wore new SpaceX spacesuits without traditional life support systems, connected by a 12-foot tether.
- The spacewalk lasted for 10 minutes.
Mission Conclusion
- The Dragon capsule successfully splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico on September 15, 2024, at 3:37 a.m. ET.
- Post-mission medical tests are evaluating the effects of space travel on the crew.
- The data gathered from these tests will contribute to future lunar and deep-space mission preparations.
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Description
Explore the highlights of the SpaceX Polaris Dawn mission, which marked a significant milestone in human spaceflight. Led by Jared Isaacman, this mission achieved a record altitude and included pioneering spacewalks by a civilian crew. Learn about the groundbreaking achievements of the astronauts involved and their contributions to space exploration.
