What Is Polaris Dawn? Breaking Down the Upcoming SpaceX Mission

SpaceX reveals its first-generation extravehicular activity (EVA) spacesuits, designed to be worn in the vacuum of space as well as the confines of a spacecraft.

Jack Daleo

Wednesday, May 08, 2024 at 05:01 PM ET

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SpaceX’s newly unveiled extravehicular activity (EVA) spacesuit will allow astronauts to conduct spacewalks during Polaris Dawn. [Courtesy: SpaceX]

Key Takeaways:

SpaceX's Polaris Dawn mission, launching this summer and funded by Jared Isaacman, aims to achieve the first commercial spacewalk and reach a record-breaking orbital altitude (870 miles) not seen since the Apollo program.
For this landmark mission, SpaceX unveiled its first-generation extravehicular activity (EVA) spacesuit, designed for both intra- and extravehicular use, which will inform future suit development for Moon and Mars missions.
The Polaris Program, comprising three potential missions, seeks to rapidly advance human spaceflight capabilities, make space more accessible, and conduct extensive scientific research on human health in space, while also supporting humanitarian efforts like fundraising for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

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A planned SpaceX mission, which is expected to include the first attempt at a commercial spacewalk and fly humans to heights within Earth’s orbit never before reached, received a major boost over the weekend.

SpaceX on Saturday unveiled its first-generation extravehicular activity (EVA) spacesuit, which will be donned by astronauts aboard the Polaris Dawn mission, scheduled for no earlier than this summer. Polaris Dawn—a five-day, four-person orbital mission to research human health both in space and on Earth—is the first of three potential human spaceflights under the Polaris Program.