The Polaris Dawn spacewalk is SpaceX’s ‘risky adventure’

The Polaris Dawn mission, which launched from the Kennedy Space Center on Tuesday, aims to conduct the world’s first commercial spacewalk. Four astronauts, including mission commander Jared Isaacman and SpaceX engineer Sarah Gillis, have trained extensively to prepare for the risks of spacewalking. If successful, Isaacman and Gillis will exit their Dragon capsule to float above Earth in newly designed SpaceX spacesuits.

Spacewalks carry inherent dangers, as they expose astronauts to the vacuum of space, where issues like overheating or equipment malfunctions can occur. While spacewalks have become more routine since the 1960s, the mission’s new suits and untested components add a layer of risk. Despite the challenges, SpaceX is confident in its protocols and safety measures.

This mission is part of a larger initiative to expand commercial space exploration, with more Polaris missions planned in the future.

Source: NPR