SpaceX is planning to launch three private flight missions in coming years, collectively called the Polaris Program, which seeks to demonstrate new technologies, advance deep space exploration while, at the same time, raise global awareness for Memphis-based St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Polaris Dawn, the first of these missions, is scheduled to be carried out by the fourth quarter of this year.
“Alongside these important objectives, we will be supporting scientific research to advance both human health interests on Earth and our understanding of human health during future long-duration spaceflights.”
Isaacman is the founder and CEO of payment processing company Shift4. He led the world’s first all-civilian journey to orbit via the Inspiration4 program while helping raise more than $240 million for the St. Jude Hospital treating childhood cancer and other life-threatening conditions.
The Polaris program will be the first flight of SpaceX’s Starship vehicle with humans on board. Isaacman will be joined by three other crew members—mission pilot Scott Poteet, mission specialist Sarah Gillis, and mission specialist and medical officer Anna Menon.
The Polaris Dawn mission will be launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida using SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket and make use of the Dragon capsule—two systems that were also used in the Inspiration4 mission.
Polaris Dawn aims to reach the highest-ever orbit possible, flying higher than any mission undertaken using the Dragon capsule. The crew will spend up to five days in orbit.
“While in orbit, SpaceX mission control will carefully monitor Dragon and the crew as they: attempt the first-ever commercial spacewalk with SpaceX-designed extravehicular activity (EVA) spacesuits, upgraded from the current intravehicular (IVA) suit. The development of this suit and the execution of the EVA will be important steps toward a scalable design for spacesuits on future long-duration missions,” a statement read.
The team will use ultrasound to monitor, detect, and quantify venous gas emboli (VGE) that will help in understanding decompression sickness in human beings. They will gather data about the radiation environment to have a clearer picture of how human biology is affected by space radiation.
The crew will also conduct research into Spaceflight Associated Neuro-Ocular Syndrome (SANS), a critical risk to the health of individuals who might choose to embark on long-duration space flights.
Isaacman has not revealed how much he is paying for the flights. For the Inspiration4 mission, Isaacman had spent less than $200 million. The team is yet to decide if every member of the crew will get a chance to spacewalk.
The second mission of the Polaris program will make use of the Dragon capsule, while the third one will use next-gen Starship aircraft that is currently being developed by SpaceX.
