SpaceX's Polaris Dawn Mission to Feature First-Ever Private Spacewalk

SpaceX is poised to make history with its upcoming Polaris Dawn mission, which will include the first-ever private spacewalk. Scheduled for early Tuesday morning, the mission will launch a crew of four private astronauts aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The launch window opens at 3:38 a.m. local time on August 27, with additional opportunities at 5:23 a.m. and 7:09 a.m., and a backup date of August 28 if necessary.

The crew is led by billionaire Jared Isaacman, who previously flew with SpaceX in 2021 and funded this mission. Joining Isaacman are SpaceX engineers Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon, and former Air Force pilot Scott “Kidd” Poteet. The mission’s highlight will be Isaacman and Gillis stepping out of the spacecraft for a spacewalk, with each astronaut spending 15 to 20 minutes outside the Crew Dragon while tethered to the vehicle.

The spacewalk, set for the mission’s third day, will test new capabilities for future missions. The Crew Dragon’s interior will be exposed to the vacuum of space, requiring careful procedures to vent and reseal the spacecraft, a process expected to take about two hours.

In addition to the spacewalk, Polaris Dawn will aim to set spaceflight records, including reaching 870 miles (1,400 kilometers) above Earth, the farthest altitude for humans since the Apollo missions. This record-breaking altitude will also expose the crew to higher radiation levels, providing valuable research on space’s effects on the human body.

The mission will also feature an in-flight demonstration of SpaceX’s Starlink service, testing connectivity with internet satellites. The Polaris Dawn mission is expected to last around five days, culminating in a splashdown off the coast of Florida.