SpaceX is set to attempt its first private “spacewalk” mission next week, marking one of the most adventurous missions for Elon Musk’s space company. The astronauts will rely on groundbreaking equipment, including ultra-thin spacesuits and a chamber without an airlock, to achieve the farthest human space exploration record.
According to Reuters, the mission team consists of four members: a billionaire entrepreneur, a retired fighter pilot, and two SpaceX employees. They are scheduled to board a modified Crew Dragon spacecraft on Tuesday (August 27) and undertake a spacewalk 434 miles (700 kilometers) above ground two days later, lasting 20 minutes.
So far, only government-supported astronauts have conducted spacewalks near the International Space Station (ISS) at a distance of 250 miles (400 kilometers) from Earth—venturing into the open space.
Named “Polaris Dawn,” the SpaceX mission will last five days and fly along an elliptical orbit, with the closest point to Earth at 118 miles (190 kilometers) and the farthest point reaching 870 miles (1,400 kilometers). This will set a new record for human space exploration since the end of the 1972 U.S. Apollo moon program.
Funding for this mission comes from Jared Isaacman, the founder of the electronic payment company Shift4 and a billionaire, who declined to disclose the exact amount but estimates suggest it exceeds $100 million.
During the mission, Isaacman and the crew, including retired U.S. NASA astronaut Garrett Reisman, will wear SpaceX’s new sleek spacesuits and board the specially modified Crew Dragon spacecraft. This spacecraft has been modified to allow direct opening of the hatch in the vacuum environment of space, eliminating the need for an airlock, a design rarely seen.
Reisman, the former NASA astronaut, mentioned in an interview that, “They are pushing the limits in multiple aspects.”
“They will be challenging higher orbits, where the radiation environment is more severe than what we have faced since the Apollo missions,” he added.
Accompanying Isaacman are retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel and mission pilot Scott Poteet, as well as SpaceX employees Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon.
For SpaceX, known for pioneering reusable low-cost rockets and expensive private space travel, this mission presents an opportunity to advance technologies for exploring the Moon and Mars.
In the region beyond Earth’s protective atmosphere, the Crew Dragon spacecraft and the electronic equipment and protective devices on the spacesuits will pass through specific areas of the Van Allen radiation belt and undergo testing. This area is filled with charged particles from the sun, which could interfere with satellite electronic equipment and impact human health.
Reisman explained, “This is an additional risk that you don’t face when you’re just staying in low Earth orbit, going to the ISS.”
The spacewalk is set to take place on the third day of the mission, with preparations starting approximately 45 hours in advance.
The Crew Dragon spacecraft’s cabin, shaped like a gummy bear, will be fully depressurized, exposed directly to the vacuum environment of space. While only two astronauts will be connected to oxygen lines and floating outside the cabin, the entire crew will rely on their spacesuits to sustain life.
In the days leading up to the spacewalk, crew members will undergo a procedure known as “pre-breathing,” removing nitrogen from the air to fill the cabin with pure oxygen.
If there is excess nitrogen in an astronaut’s blood, it could lead to bubble formation, blockage of blood flow, and decompression sickness, similar to what divers may experience when resurfacing too quickly.
The crew will use ultrasound devices to monitor bubble formation, one of the many tools utilized in this mission. These tools will provide information for dozens of scientific experiments, offering researchers valuable insights into potential scenarios astronauts may encounter on the lunar surface or in other deep space regions.
During a press conference on Monday (August 19), SpaceX executives and the crew of “Polaris Dawn” stated that they are prepared for various emergency scenarios that may arise during the mission, such as oxygen leaks or inability to reseal the hatch, without disclosing specific contingency plans.
Reisman expressed confidence in the readiness of the “Polaris Dawn” crew, believing they are well-prepared to handle any unforeseen circumstances.
“However, there is not much room for error,” he emphasized.