First Private Spacewalk Mission Launched into Orbit

The Polaris Dawn mission, the most ambitious private space venture to date, has successfully launched, marking the first-ever private spacewalk. At 5:23 am EDT, the mission lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A in Florida aboard a Falcon 9 rocket, heading for low-Earth orbit.

This mission represents a significant move toward ending the government’s dominance over orbital missions. Aboard the Dragon spacecraft are Mission Commander Jared Isaacman, Pilot Scott Poteet, Mission Specialist Sarah Gillis, and Medical Officer and Mission Specialist Anna Menon.

Polaris Dawn to Conduct Groundbreaking Experiments and Briefly Enter Van Allen Belt

The multi-day Polaris Dawn mission will feature more than just the first private spacewalk. It also includes 38 science experiments focused on the impact of spaceflight and space radiation on human health. Additionally, it will be the first mission since the 1970s Apollo program to briefly enter the radioactive Van Allen Belt, taking precautions for safety.

Initially scheduled for August, the Polaris Dawn mission faced frequent delays due to unfavorable weather conditions in the Dragon’s splashdown zone upon its return to Earth. These setbacks were particularly frustrating for the crew, who had to undergo a 30-hour quarantine before launch to ensure no one got sick during the mission.

On the night of the launch, however, the Falcon 9 took off smoothly. It reached Max Q, the point of maximum mechanical stress, at 58 seconds into the flight, with the main engine shutting down at two minutes and 38 seconds. Second-stage separation occurred just four seconds later.

Second-Stage Engine Ignites as First Stage Lands on Droneship Just Read the Instructions

The second-stage engine ignited at the two-minute 51-second mark, burning for over six minutes, while the first stage performed its usual maneuver for a powered landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions.

Around 12 minutes into the flight, the Dragon spacecraft separated from the second stage and is now on course to pass through the Van Allen radiation belts before settling into a circular orbit at a safer, lower altitude, where it will carry out the first-ever private spacewalk.

According to SpaceX, this Dragon capsule has previously flown to the International Space Station (ISS) and was part of the private Inspiration4 mission. The first-stage booster has completed three prior missions, including Crew-8 to the ISS and two Starlink launches.

Read the original article on: New Atlas

Read more: Rolls-Royce Gets $6M for Nuclear Space Reactor Development