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SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn mission to launch on August 27, sending four people into orbit for five days.
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The mission includes the first spacewalk by a private crew, testing new suits developed by SpaceX.
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SpaceX’s Dragon capsule will also return NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore from the ISS in February 2025.
SpaceX is gearing up for the historic Polaris Dawn mission, scheduled to launch on August 27. The five-day mission will take four people into orbit, marking a significant milestone in private space exploration. The crew will venture farther from Earth than any human has since the Apollo era.
A highlight of the mission is the first spacewalk by a private crew, which will test new suits developed by SpaceX. This extravehicular activity will expose the entire interior of the Crew Dragon capsule to space, demonstrating the capsule’s capabilities.
Meanwhile, SpaceX is also playing a crucial role in NASA’s astronaut recovery efforts. Due to technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner capsule, NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore will return to Earth aboard SpaceX’s Dragon capsule in February 2025. This decision underscores NASA’s growing reliance on SpaceX for crew transportation.
