SpaceX is preparing for its first private spacewalk next week, a groundbreaking mission that will test innovative equipment, including slim spacesuits and a cabin without an airlock. This mission is among the riskiest for Elon Musk’s space company.
Set to launch on Tuesday, the mission—dubbed Polaris Dawn—will see a billionaire entrepreneur, a retired military fighter pilot, and two SpaceX employees embark on a 20-minute spacewalk 434 miles (700 km) above Earth, just two days after liftoff. Unlike previous spacewalks performed by government astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS), SpaceX’s mission will take place much farther from Earth, in an oval-shaped orbit that reaches as far as 1,400 km (870 miles)—the most distant human venture since the Apollo moon program ended in 1972.
The crew includes billionaire Jared Isaacman, mission pilot and retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel Scott Poteet, and SpaceX senior engineers Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon. The mission, funded by Isaacman, is estimated to cost over $100 million.
One of the mission’s key innovations is the use of SpaceX’s new slimline spacesuits and a modified Crew Dragon vehicle designed to open its hatch door in the vacuum of space, eliminating the need for an airlock. The entire cabin of the Crew Dragon will be depressurized for the spacewalk, making this mission a significant technological leap for future lunar and Martian exploration.
The mission also presents unique challenges. The Crew Dragon and spacesuits will be exposed to the harsh radiation environment of the Van Allen belt, an area filled with charged particles from the sun that could disrupt electronics and affect human health. The crew’s survival will depend entirely on their spacesuits during the spacewalk, and extensive preparations will be made, including a “pre-breathe” process to remove nitrogen from the cabin to prevent decompression sickness, known as “the bends.”
While NASA rigorously oversees astronaut safety, there are no comparable standards for private missions like Polaris. SpaceX and the crew have prepared for various contingencies, though details of these plans have not been disclosed. Retired NASA astronaut Garrett Reisman noted the high stakes of the mission, stating that while the crew is well-prepared, there is little room for error.
This mission offers a unique opportunity to test and advance technologies that could be critical for future space exploration on the moon and Mars, making it a pivotal moment for SpaceX’s ambitions beyond Earth’s orbit.
