Tencent Technology News reported on August 18 that according to foreign media reports, SpaceX is intensively preparing for a private space mission that will be launched at the end of August, which marks the company's first attempt to allow privately funded astronauts to conduct spacewalks.
The flight, codenamed the Polaris Dawn mission, is the first mission of three space flight programs customized by billionaire and shift4 founder Ja·red Isaacman to SpaceX in 2022 and will lift off from Florida in the early morning of August 26 local time United States.
Isaacman said in a recent interview: "Although the launch time is severely limited, we expect it to take place on the eve of dawn, and this arrangement coincides with the name and vision of the mission." ”
Polaris Dawn Commander Jared · Isaacman testing a spacesuit
Isaacman will once again lead the mission as commander, just as he successfully led the historic Inspiration 4 flight in 2021. He again led the three crew members, including veteran colleague Scott Poteet · as the pilot, and SpaceX employees Anna Menon and Sarah Gillis ·· as the medical officer and mission expert for the flight, respectively.
This multi-day trip doesn't have a specific destination, but rather a free-flying flight designed to explore the vastness of space beyond Earth. "We're going to push the boundaries and reach heights that humanity hasn't set foot in more than 50 years," Isaacman said. ”
The crew of the Polaris Dawn, from left, are Anna · Menon, Scott · Portit, Jared · Isaacman, and Sarah · Gillis
But at the heart of Polaris Dawn is a spacewalk, a feat that has historically been an integral part of United States NASA astronaut missions, particularly in the maintenance of the International Space Station. However, the private sector has so far not been involved in this area.
Spacewalks are also known as extravehicular activities, or EVA for short. Isaacman knew that a spacewalk meant that they would be surrounded by extreme conditions and face life and death, which is why they continue to train intensively.
He further elaborated: "The closest thing to a spacewalk experience is the vacuum chamber training, where the vacuum and extreme conditions of space are almost reproduced, allowing people to experience first-hand the rapid changes in pressure and temperature, as well as the tremendous psychological stress generated by extreme environments. ”
Try the first privately funded spacewalk
The crew of the Polaris Dawn mission, from left, is Medical Officer Menon, Pilot Potit, Commander Isaacman, and Mission Specialist Gillis
Isaacman also gave a brief overview of the Polaris Dawn's schedule.
On the first day, the mission team will determine the exact timing of the launch by selecting a window of time with the lowest risk of meteorites and orbital debris. As soon as it enters the initial scheduled orbit, the astronauts will conduct a comprehensive and detailed examination of SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft. "Before the spacecraft climbs to an altitude of 1,400 km, it is critical to ensure that it is in the best condition and without any failures," Isaacman stressed. ”
In addition, the spacecraft will travel ahead of time through the South Atlantic anomaly with higher radiation. "Ideally, the test should be carried out at the lowest possible orbit, because even at an altitude of 200 kilometers, the radiation level has increased significantly," Isaacman said. We expect to pass through Viet Nam's Atlantic anomaly two or three times at high altitudes, which will cover almost all of the radiation load on this mission, equivalent to three consecutive months of radiation accumulation on the International Space Station. ”
On the second day, the mission will focus on scientific exploration by the Polaris Dawn program, which will carry out about 40 scientific experiments in total. At the same time, the crew will also make final preparations for the spacewalk, including a full-fledged test of the EVA spacesuit.
"The purpose of this is to ensure that in microgravity, the spacesuit behaves in the same way as it was tested on the ground, with no surprises," Isaacman said. ”
The third day is the most important spacewalk.
It lasted two hours, and two people went out of the cabin to support two people
Regarding the performers of the spacewalk, Isaacman revealed: "The four of us will be involved in this feat - although there will be no traditional airlock, the spacecraft will be emptied to a vacuum. At that point, Isaacman and Gillis will step out of the Crew Dragon spacecraft, while Potitt and Menon will stay in the cabin to provide support.
The EVA event is expected to last two hours, with Isaacman emphasizing that it's "all about testing and development." "We aim to explore the spacesuit and its operational performance in depth, but are limited by the limited supply of oxygen and nitrogen," he said. ”
The Polaris Dawn program will broadcast the spacewalk live, with mission commanders noting that there will be "numerous cameras" inside and outside the capsule.
Test a new retrofit spacesuit
SpaceX tests an extravehicular activity (EVA) spacesuit on June 24, 2024
The core equipment that makes EVA a possible is a spacesuit carefully developed by SpaceX. In recent years, the company has continued to upgrade the original simple black and white IVA (in-cabin activity suit, for emergency situations) to a powerful EVA spacesuit. According to Isaacman, the suits are the culmination of hundreds of hours of testing on a variety of materials over the years, "so our priority was to delve into the performance limits of the equipment." ”
"This move is intended for the future, and we will continue to optimize the design of the spacesuits to ensure that SpaceX will be able to provide hundreds or thousands of efficient spacesuits for missions to the Moon, Mars, and low Earth orbit in the future," Isaacman added. At present, building a new EVA spacesuit is still a complex and difficult task. ”
Anna ·, a medical expert on the Polaris Dawn mission, tests a spacesuit
The goal of the Polaris Dawn mission is to push the boundaries of private space flight, and like Isaacman's first orbital trip, he hopes the mission will spark the public's imagination and enthusiasm as well.
"That's where its inspiring power lies," Isaacman said. Anything that goes beyond the norm of the last two or three decades can arouse people's interest and curiosity, prompting them to think: 'If what we see today is so shocking, what will we see tomorrow or next year?' ’”
Source | Tencent Technology