SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn mission: Why it matters and how to follow the launch

SpaceX is preparing to launch its historic Polaris Dawn mission, which will carry four astronauts into orbit aboard the Crew Dragon capsule. The five-day journey through the Van Allen radiation belts will include the first spacewalk by private astronauts.

If you’re curious about the mission, here’s what you need to know and how to follow it live.

First announced in 2022, Polaris Dawn is a mission funded by billionaire and private astronaut Jared Isaacman. In addition to Isaacman, three other privately trained astronauts will join the mission, including retired U.S. Air Force fighter pilot Scott Poteet and SpaceX engineers Anna Menon and Sarah Gillis. Only Isaacman and Gillis will conduct the spacewalk, which will take place about 430 miles above Earth.

Once the four crew members are in orbit, they will reach a maximum altitude of about 1,400 kilometers, making it the farthest astronauts have traveled since the Apollo missions more than 50 years ago. They will also fly through the Van Allen Belts, two bands of radiation that NASA says are made up of high-energy particles originating from the sun and from the atmosphere’s interaction with cosmic rays.

The spacewalk is not the only goal of the Polaris Dawn mission. The astronauts will also test SpaceX’s EVA spacesuits, which are made from new materials for improved mobility. These suits feature a 3D-printed helmet with a head-up display and a visor to reduce glare.

All four astronauts will wear the upgraded suits during the spacewalk, as the Crew Dragon does not have an airlock and crew members in the capsule will be “exposed to the vacuum of space,” according to SpaceX. During the spacewalk, Isaacman and Gillis will conduct tests on the new spacesuits.

Since the capsule will traverse the Van Allen radiation belts, the mission will also contribute to research into the effects of space radiation on the human body. In addition, the Polaris Dawn crew will test Starlink’s satellite internet technology for communicating with Earth and conduct research on decompression sickness and spaceflight-related neuroocular syndrome.

Polaris Dawn will lift off on Tuesday, August 27. SpaceX is targeting a launch time of 3:38 a.m. ET. In case there is a delay, SpaceX has scheduled two additional launch times for 5:23 a.m. ET and 7:09 a.m. ET.

The Crew Dragon capsule will launch aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.

You can watch a live stream of the mission on the SpaceX website and Xpage, with coverage beginning around 12:05 a.m. ET.

The spacewalk, which will take place on the third day of the mission, will also be live-streamed. It will likely be available on SpaceX’s website and on X.