The Polaris Dawn mission, set to launch on August 27, 2024, at 3:38 a.m. ET from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, represents a significant advancement in private spaceflight.
Operated by SpaceX, this mission aims to achieve several milestones: it will be the furthest human space travel since the Apollo missions, reaching an altitude of about 870 miles, and will conduct the first commercial spacewalk at this extreme distance.
The mission has completed its readiness review with a strong emphasis on crew safety, highlighting the experimental nature of the spacewalk and the use of new technologies like SpaceX’s EVA spacesuits and laser-based Starlink communications.
The launch is scheduled to be webcast live starting approximately 3.5 hours before liftoff, with additional launch opportunities available if needed.
