SpaceX launched the Falcon 9 rocket on Tuesday (September 10, 2024), which took the Polaris Dawn commercial mission into space. The 4 Americans who make up the crew are taken on an official spacewalk, the first of its kind outside of a spacecraft in history.
The Falcon 9 took off at 6:23 a.m. ET from NASA‘s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, United States. The trip is planned to last five days.
Also Read: SpaceX Reveals Space Tourism: How to Secure Your Exclusive Ticket and What’s the Price?
The mission was funded by billionaire and former pilot Jared Isaacman. During their time in orbit, the team will conduct about 36 experiments related to physical and mental health in space. Participating are:
- Pilot Scott “Kidd” Poteet, a former colonel in the US Air Force;
- Jared Isaacman, a billionaire businessman, is a project manager and financier;
- SpaceX engineer Anna Menon, a mission specialist;
- SpaceX engineer Sarah Gillis is a mission specialist.
It is the highest flight since the last Apollo mission to the Moon in 1972. The spacewalk is expected to take place at an altitude of about 1,400 km. After the SpaceX rocket launch, the crew released a joint statement on X (formerly Twitter).
“Our collective interest in space should not be too big to fail nor too costly to succeed. It should be a lasting endeavor to unlock the mysteries of the universe and, in the process, make life better here on Earth. As we embark on our journey today, know that we wish you all the best of luck as we explore together,” they said.
Also Read: NASA crew members who are stuck on the International Space Station will return to Earth in 2025
