(Credit: Polaris Program / John Kraus)
SpaceX successfully began its Polaris Dawn mission early Tuesday, launching its crew of four astronauts from Florida into low-Earth orbit. The launch used a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, and the crew are now orbiting Earth inside a SpaceX Dragon capsule.
The Dragon capsule's crew is now undergoing a "pre-breathe process" for two days to get ready for the upcoming spacewalk, where two of the astronauts will briefly exit the capsule. Billionaire payments executive Jared Isaacman, who funded the mission, and SpaceX engineer Sara Gillis are expected to attempt the spacewalk about 430 miles above Earth on Thursday. Pre-breathe processes typically involve inhaling pure oxygen to avoid decompression sickness, an issue that can occur when astronauts experience a sudden change in air pressure due to space exposure.
SpaceX is actively tracking the Dragon capsule's orbit, and its website shows the capsule above New Zealand as of 6:42 a.m. ET Tuesday. The launch had previously been scheduled for Aug. 26, but was delayed due to a ground-side helium leak and was then delayed again by weather issues.
"What's really unique about the Polaris Dawn mission is it's a development mission," said astronaut Sarah Gillis in a video SpaceX published before the launch. "Not only are we taking the basic fundamentals of how to live in Dragon, and operate the spacecraft, but we're now adding whole new operations for new suits, new systems."
The astronauts are also expected to test Starlink, SpaceX's satellite internet service, during their mission. They'll also help contribute to research on space travel's impacts on human health while putting SpaceX's new spacesuits to the test. The Polaris Dawn mission is expected to last for up to five days in total.
"We're gonna get to work now," one of the astronauts said from the capsule post-launch.