On February 15, Space X officially announced the launch of the Polaris program, and the crew will use the space shuttle suit designed by Space X to try the first commercial extravehicular activity at about 500 kilometers above the earth, and realize the first commercial spacewalk of mankind.
Space X said that no earlier than the fourth quarter of 2022, Space X's Falcon 9 rocket will start the Polaris Dawn mission from the Kennedy Space Center 39A launch site in Florida. The Dragon spacecraft and the Crew of the Polaris Dawn will remain in orbit for five days.
The mission will take advantage of the maximum performance of the Falcon 9 and Dragon spacecraft, fly higher than any Dragon mission to date, and strive to reach the highest Earth orbit ever recorded. After passing through part of the orbit of the Van Allen Radiation Belt, Polaris Dawn will conduct a series of studies aimed at better understanding the effects of space flight and space radiation on human health.
About 500 kilometers above Earth, crews will attempt the first commercial extravehicular event using a Space X-designed extravehicular activity suit, which is an upgrade from the current inflight spacesuit. Space X says building bases on the moon and cities on Mars will require thousands of spacesuits.
Separately, Space X said the Polaris Dawn crew will be the first in space to test starlink-based network speeds, providing data for the space communication systems needed for future missions to the Moon, Mars and elsewhere. Also, while in orbit, crew members will conduct scientific research aimed at advancing human health on Earth and our understanding of human health in future long-term spaceflight.
(7868141)