Unicorn
September 11, 2024
Unicorn News: The Latest in Space - September 11, 2024
SpaceX's Polaris Dawn mission successfully launched, marking the first private spacewalk. The mission, led by Jared Isaacman, includes a five-day journey with various experiments and a historic spacewalk. Tune in for detailed coverage and updates.
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() SpaceX Successfully Launches Polaris Dawn Astronauts for First Private Spacewalk
The Polaris Dawn mission, led by SpaceX, successfully launched on September 10, 2024, at 5:23 a.m. EDT from NASA's Kennedy Space Center. This mission is set to achieve the first-ever private spacewalk. The Falcon 9 rocket's booster landed successfully on the autonomous droneship 'Just Read the Instructions' approximately 9.5 minutes after liftoff. The Crew Dragon spacecraft, carrying billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman, SpaceX engineers Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon, and pilot Scott Poteet, separated from the Falcon 9's upper stage a little over 12 minutes after launch and entered an initial elliptical orbit. The crew will spend five days in space, conducting various experiments and preparing for the historic spacewalk scheduled for the third day, which will be livestreamed. The spacecraft will reach an orbit as high as 1,400 kilometers above Earth, the farthest distance astronauts have traveled from Earth since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. A Starlink demonstration featuring a surprise message is planned for the fourth day. The mission is expected to conclude with a splashdown off the coast of Florida on the fifth day.
