SpaceX's Polaris Dawn mission is the first among the series of launches of the Polaris Program. Originally Polaris Dawn was supposed to launch late last year, but the mission got pushed back to March 2023, as reported by Space.com.
(Photo : Bill Ingalls/NASA via Getty Images)
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 14: In this handout provided by NASA, NASA astronauts (L-R) Jessica Watkins, Robert Hines, Kjell Lindgren, and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti are seen inside the SpaceX Crew Dragon Freedom spacecraft onboard the SpaceX recovery ship Megan shortly after having landed in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida, Friday, October 14, 2022.
What to Expect From Polaris Dawn
Polaris Dawn is a crewed flight with four SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule sitting atop one of the private space firm's Falcon 9 launch systems. It will travel to orbit from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
It aims to go higher than any orbital mission that has come before. In fact, it is said that the mission will take advantage of Falcon 9 and Dragon's maximum performance, which means it will fly higher than any Dragon mission to reach the highest orbit ever flown, according to Interesting Engineering.
Polaris Dawn will conduct research with the mission to better understand the effects of spaceflight and space radiation on human health. It also aims to conduct the first commercial spacewalk in history at an altitude of around 435 miles, higher than the International Space Station's orbital apogee from Earth's surface.
The Ultimate Mission
The Polaris Program aims to speed up human spaceflight and help in the mission of getting humans to Mars. Part of this is the Polaris III mission that will launch aboard a SpaceX Starship rocket.
Starship is the next-gen fully reusable launch system of SpaceX. It is designed to lower the cost of spaceflight in a bid to get humans to Mars.
Polaris Dawn will be the first crewed mission of the program, which aims to send humans to the red planet. SpaceX founder and chief executive Elon Musk has said previously that he aims to send humans to Mars and make a colony there.
Mars is targeted for human exploration because of the presence of water and carbon dioxide or methane, which can be used to create atmosphere. There is also the possibility of using the planet's carbon dioxide and water to create fuel for rocket and Mars colonists to use.
Mars is also a perfect place for humans to live in. It is much like Earth; it has a 24-hour day and a 365-day year. It has plenty of sunlight, a similar amount of oxygen in the atmosphere, and can support plants and animals.
SpaceX Has a Strong Track Record
SpaceX has a strong track record in the space industry. It has continued to conduct successful launches despite the setbacks encountered by some of its missions. In addition, it has also continued to develop and upgrade its launch system.
Polaris Dawn is the first of many missions that will lead to SpaceX's ultimate goal of sending humans to the red planet. The company has made great strides in its space flights and has continued to improve its launch system. With this, it will continue to advance in its mission to colonize Mars and make humans a multi-planetary species.
Related Article: SpaceX: Falcon 9's Merlin vs. Starship's Raptor Engine-Elon Musk Says Which is Simpler
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Written by April Fowell
