John Kraus, the Satellite Beach-based launch photographer extraordinaire, announced that he has a role on Jared Isaacman’s staff as a Special Communications Assistant to the NASA Administrator.
I’m humbled and energized to bring my passion for photography and storytelling to NASA and work under
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman as Special Communications Assistant to the Administrator.
With my focus now fully on working alongside the best and brightest at NASA, my independent media coverage and for-hire work comes to an end. Thank you all for following along over the years! Be sure to follow NASA’s channels to see great content from across the agency.
I have deep respect for NASA’s communicators and creatives, individuals whose work I’ve followed and admired for a long time. I’m profoundly grateful for the opportunity to work with them to help continue sharing NASA’s story with the widest audience possible and inspiring the next generation to look up to the stars. Under Administrator Isaacman’s leadership, we will do just that.
John Kraus Special Communications Assistant to the Administrator
NASA
Kraus is well-qualified for this role. While he cut his teeth as an award winning launch and space photographer, John was also the Content Director for the Polaris Program, which saw the first privately conducted EVA in Earth orbit. Additionally, Kraus was responsible for photographing campaign milestones and sharing the highly popular Polaris story via social media.
Liftoff of Polaris Dawn Photo credit: Polaris Program / John Kraus
Presumably the role starts immediately and that at a good time as the agency prepares to ramp up its launch campaign for the Artemis II mission, mankind’s first foray past Earth orbit in fifty-four years.
John Kraus Photo: Polaris Program
First recognized nationally in 2016 when Kraus was sixteen years old and still in high school, in the past ten year he’s covered 385 launches globally, including human spaceflight: training, launch, and splashdown/recovery operations.
Kraus has also photographed and reported on static fires, engine test fire campaigns and zero gravity flights. When he’s not covering space, you might find him in the rear seat of a high-performance fighter aircraft, capturing air-to-air shots. Kraus has spent time in an L-39, Alpha Jet and a Russian-made MiG-29.
Jared Isaacman with his children in a 2024 Polaris Dawn publicity photo. Credit: John Kraus, Polaris Program
Jared Isaacman, the billionaire entrepreneur, philanthropist, and private astronaut, has been nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to serve as the next Administrator of NASA. Isaacman, best known to the general public as the commander of both the groundbreaking Inspiration4 and Polaris Dawn space missions and the first private citizen to conduct a spacewalk, is also the CEO of the payment processing giant Shift4, a rapidly growing company that Isaacman started when he was sixteen years old.
President-elect Donald Trump’s announcement of the Isaacman nomination on Truth Social
Isaacman Reaction To The Nomination
“The future of space exploration depends on collaboration between government agencies, private companies, and international partners,” Isaacman said in a statement following the announcement of his nomination. “If confirmed, I’ll work tirelessly to ensure NASA remains at the forefront of innovation and exploration.”
Isaacman Qualifications, In Brief
Jared Isaacman exiting Crew Dragon on the Polaris Dawn flight in September of 2024. Photo: SpaceX livestream
If confirmed, Jared Isaacman would be the only NASA Administrator to have commanded a space mission and to have flown to space twice. He would also be the only NASA Administrator who has future flights in planning stages — there are three more Polaris missions slated to fly, though potential launch dates have not been released by the program.
Isaacman is also well qualified to lead the “second A” in NASA, that is, the Aeronautic side. As an aviator, Isaacman holds multiple world records for flight, including a record-breaking circumnavigation of the globe in a light jet. In 2019, Isaacman purchased a Soviet-era Mikoyan MiG-29 fighter jet from the estate of Paul Allen, the co-founder of Microsoft, a plane he regularly flies himself.
The nomination will now need to be confirmed by the US Senate after it is sworn in and convenes in January 2025.
Polaris Dawn launch, with NASA Administrator nominee Jared Isaacman in command. Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
In the early hours of Sunday morning, SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn crew successfully completed their five-day journey in space, capping off the historic mission with a splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico. The Crew Dragon capsule, carrying four astronauts, landed off the coast of Dry Tortugas, Florida, at 3:37 a.m. ET, marking the conclusion of a mission that included the world’s first commercial spacewalk.
“We’ve made history, and this is only the beginning of what’s possible with private space exploration,” said mission commander Jared Isaacman, the billionaire CEO of Shift4 Payments and key financier behind Polaris Dawn.
The mission achieved several significant milestones, including reaching the highest altitude for human spaceflight in over five decades. The crew orbited Earth at an apogee of 870 miles (1,400 kilometers), surpassing the 1966 altitude record set by NASA’s Gemini 11 mission. This achievement also marked the farthest distance from Earth that humans have traveled since the Apollo program ended in 1972.
For crew members Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon, SpaceX engineers who served as mission specialists, the mission was particularly groundbreaking. The high altitude made them the first women to travel so far from Earth. “It was an honor to be part of this mission, to push the boundaries of human space exploration,” said Gillis.
Splashdown
Despite several major accomplishments during the mission, as always, returning to Earth presented one of its most dangerous challenges. To safely re-enter the atmosphere, the Crew Dragon performed a “de-orbit burn,” orienting itself for the high-speed descent back to Earth. As the spacecraft hit the atmosphere at speeds of 17,000 miles per hour (27,000 kilometers per hour), it endured temperatures as high as 3,500 degrees Fahrenheit (1,900 degrees Celsius), protected by its heat shield.
Slowing down from the friction of the atmosphere, the capsule deployed its parachutes, which further decelerated its descent before it gently splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico. “Welcome back to planet Earth,” the host of SpaceX’s live broadcast exclaimed as cheers erupted in the background.
After splashdown, the capsule briefly bobbed in the water before being retrieved by a SpaceX recovery team stationed nearby. The team hauled the spacecraft onto a boat known as the “Dragon’s Nest,” where the astronauts disembarked after final safety checks. All four crew members, including pilot Scott “Kidd” Poteet, emerged smiling and in good health.
The Polaris Dawn Crew waves as the hatch of Resilience is opened by recovery crews. Photo: SpaceX
History Making Spacewalk
Last Thursday, Polaris Dawn added another historic first by completing the world’s first commercial spacewalk, also known as an extravehicular activity (EVA). Isaacman and Gillis took turns exiting the spacecraft while it was fully depressurized, marking a new era in privately funded space operations.
Floating just outside the Crew Dragon capsule for roughly 10 minutes each, Isaacman and Gillis tested the functionality of SpaceX’s custom-designed EVA suits, which are engineered to protect astronauts from the harsh conditions of space. “Back at home, we all have a lot of work to do, but from here, Earth sure looks like a perfect world,” Isaacman mused as he took in the breathtaking view during his spacewalk.
Commander Jared Isaacman Image: SpaceX emerges from the Resilience during the world’s first commercial spacewalk. Photo: SpaceX
The EVA was conducted as part of the mission’s broader goal to test technologies that will be crucial for future deep-space missions, including flights to the Moon and Mars. Despite the high risks involved, the spacewalk was completed without any major issues, a success that SpaceX hailed as a significant step forward for commercial space operations.
A Mission with Purpose
Liftoff of Polaris Dawn Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
In addition to making history, the Polaris Dawn mission focused heavily on scientific research. The crew conducted nearly 40 experiments during their five days in orbit, with a particular emphasis on understanding space adaptation syndrome, a form of motion sickness that occurs in microgravity. The research conducted on this mission is expected to contribute valuable insights into the long-term health of astronauts during future deep-space voyages.
Sarah Gillis, a trained violinist, also brought her violin onboard and performed Rey’s Theme from Star Wars: The Force Awakens in a symbolic test of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite network, which successfully transmitted the music back to Earth. Meanwhile, Menon read from her co-authored children’s book Kisses From Space during a special video call with patients from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, in an effort to raise awareness and support for the hospital.
The Polaris Dawn Mission was dedicated to raising funds for St. Judes Children’s Research Hospital Photo: Polaris Dawn
The mission also tested SpaceX’s next-generation spacesuits, which are designed to offer enhanced protection against the rigors of space, including radiation and extreme temperatures. “These spacesuits will play a vital role in future missions, especially as we prepare for long-term exploration beyond low-Earth orbit,” Menon explained.
“The Resilience“
The Dragon capsule used for Polaris Dawn, named Resilience, has a storied past. It first flew in 2020 for NASA’s Crew-1 mission to the International Space Station and later in 2021 for the Inspiration4 mission, also led by Isaacman. This marked the third trip to space for Resilience, which continues to demonstrate SpaceX’s commitment to reusability in spacecraft design.
SpaceX Crew Dragon ‘Resilience’ on the launch pad. Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
Looking ahead, Isaacman has plans for even more ambitious missions. Polaris Dawn is the first of three planned flights in cooperation with SpaceX, with the next slated to involve a flight to the Hubble Space Telescope to extend its operational life. A third mission is expected to be the first crewed flight of SpaceX’s next-generation Starship rocket.
“This mission is just the beginning of what we can achieve in the future,” Isaacman said. “There’s so much more ahead as we continue to push the boundaries of human spaceflight.”
As SpaceX continues to set new milestones in commercial space exploration, the successful splashdown of Polaris Dawn is yet another reminder of the potential for privately funded missions to lead the charge in the next frontier of human exploration.
Note: this article originally published by Mark Stone of Florida Media Now. It is shared here by permission.
Polaris Dawn on the launch pad. Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
SpaceX plans to launch Polaris Dawn early tomorrow morning from Pad LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center, with four astronauts aboard a Crew Dragon.
The launch is scheduled for 3:38 AM EDT, with two additional launch opportunities within a four-hour window at 5:23 AM EDT and 7:09 AM EDT. If, for some reason, the launch does not happen tomorrow morning, backup opportunities are available on Wednesday, September 11th at the same times.
Falcon 9 on the launch mount at LC-39A with a storm approaching from the west this morning. Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
Booster B1083 will be making its fourth flight on this mission. It has been in service since March, 2024 when it launched the Crew-8 mission from KSC. Its two other flights were Starlink missions.
At A Glance
Mission: Polaris Dawn
Date: NET September 10, 2024
Launch Window: 03:38 AM – 07:09 AM EDT*
Weather: 40% Go during the primary launch window
Organization: SpaceX / Polaris Program
Rocket: Falcon 9
Trajectory: Northeast
Launch Site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center
Booster Landing: ASDS ‘ Just Read the Instructions’
Payload: Crew Dragon ‘Resilience’ with four crew members
The US Space Force’s 45th Weather Squadron has slightly less than a 50/50 chance that weather will be acceptable for tomorrow morning’s launch attempt, rating the Probability Of Violation at 60%. They also list moderate concerns through the ascent corridor, where good conditions are critical in the event of a launch abort.
via the 45th Weather Squadron. Retrieved 3:00 PM EDT September 9, 2024
Trajectory
Northeastwards, at around 51.8 degrees.
Launch spectators on the southeastern coast may get a view of the launch as it ascends from Kennedy Space Center — depending on local conditions and clouds between them and the rocket.
Payload
Crew Dragon Resilience, with four astronauts aboard: Jared Isaacman, Mission Commander; Scott “Kidd” Poteet, Mission Pilot; Sarah Gillis, Mission Specialist; and Anna Menon, Mission Specialist and Medical Officer.
SpaceX will have a livestream of the launch on their website: Polaris Dawn. This will also be available on the X platform. Coverage will start about 3.5 hours prior to liftoff.
Spaceflight Now will have coverage of the launch starting about one hour before liftoff on Youtube: link
For official updates regarding launch times, SpaceX.com is the best source of information. Starlink launch times change from time to time, and the company generally updates their website within minutes of the decision to change the launch time. This is very handy if none of the streaming options on YouTube have started their broadcasts.
Remember that there is a delay between a launch stream and the actual countdown clock. That is simply because of physics: it takes time for the signal to travel from the launch site, through the Internet, and back down to your phone, resulting in a five to fifteen-second delay.
Next Space Flight an app for iOS and Android phones, has a real-time countdown clock that is accurate to a second, give or take. The app is free. Search the App Store or Google Play. They are also on the web: nextspaceflight.com.
Launch Viewing: In Person
Given that this is a launch from Kennedy Space Center with no booster return to the Cape, Max Brewer Bridge and the northern Tistusville parks on Washington Avenue (US1) are your best bets: Space View Park, Rotary Riverview Park and others.
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and Cape Canaveral National Seashore will be closed for the evening, but if the launch pushes past 6AM EDT, those areas should be open.
Polaris Dawn on the launch mount at LC-39A on August 28, 2024, after the launch was called off for the day. Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
SpaceX has called off the Polaris Dawn launch of Falcon 9 until at least Friday, August 29th. The company announced shortly after 10 PM EDT that it was standing down for the night, and stated on its website that its next attempt would be no earlier than the end of the week:
Those areas would be of vital importance in the unlikely event of an in-flight abort that forced Crew Dragon and the Polaris Dawn crew to land downrange in the seas off of the Florida coast. With unacceptable conditions there, the launch was scrubbed roughly 5.5 hours before L-0.
The launch vehicle and crew remain healthy and safe, and a new launch date will likely be announced soon.
Due to unfavorable weather forecasted in Dragon’s splashdown areas off the coast of Florida, we are now standing down from tonight and tomorrow’s Falcon 9 launch opportunities of Polaris Dawn. Teams will continue to monitor weather for favorable launch and return conditions
Repairs on Helium Quick-Disconnect Completed Earlier Tuesday
SpaceX completed repairs on the faulty quick-disconnect Helium supply line earlier in the day with alacrity, as repairs were completed by early afternoon. Shortly afterward, around 2 PM, Falcon was raised to a standing launch condition. Unfortunately, weather conditions offshore in the abort zone necessitated a two-day stand-down hours later.
SpaceX launch crew effecting repairs on the faulty Helium QD system on August 27, 2024 Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
Polaris Dawn’s Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon on the launch mount at LC-39A today at Kennedy Space Center. Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
SpaceX plans to launch Polaris Dawn early tomorrowUPDATE: Wednesday morning from Pad LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center, with four astronauts aboard a Crew Dragon.
The launch is scheduled for 3:38 AM EDT, with two additional launch opportunities within a four-hour window at 5:23 AM EDT and 7:09 AM EDT. If, for some reason, the launch does not happen tomorrow morning, backup opportunities are available on Wednesday, Update: Thursday August 29, at the same time.
Booster B1083 will be making its fourth flight on this mission. It has been in service since March, 2024 when it launched the Crew-8 mission from KSC. Its two other flights were Starlink missions.
Crew Dragon ‘Resilience’ awaits astronauts to board later this evening at Pad LC-39A. Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
At A Glance
Mission: Polaris Dawn
Date: NET August 28, 2024
Launch Window: 03:38 AM – 07:09 AM EDT*
Weather: 80% Go during the primary launch window
Organization: SpaceX / Polaris Program
Rocket: Falcon 9
Trajectory: Northeast
Launch Site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center
Booster Landing: ASDS ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas’
Payload: Crew Dragon ‘Resilience’ with four crew members
There is a favorable forecast for tonight’s launch from the 45th Weather Squadron. They are calling for a 15% Probability of Violation of weather criteria, meaning there is an 85% chance the weather is acceptable for the launch.
(Updated to reflect latest forecast on 27 August)
Trajectory
Northeastwards, at around 51.8 degrees.
Launch spectators on the southeastern coast may get a view of the launch as it ascends from Kennedy Space Center — depending on local conditions and clouds between them and the rocket.
Payload
Crew Dragon Resilience, with four astronauts aboard: Jared Isaacman, Mission Commander; Scott “Kidd” Poteet, Mission Pilot; Sarah Gillis, Mission Specialist; and Anna Menon, Mission Specialist and Medical Officer.
SpaceX will have a livestream of the launch on their website: Polaris Dawn. This will also be available on the X platform. Coverage will start about 3.5 hours prior to liftoff.
Spaceflight Now will have coverage of the launch starting about one hour before liftoff on Youtube: link
For official updates regarding launch times, SpaceX.com is the best source of information. Starlink launch times change from time to time, and the company generally updates their website within minutes of the decision to change the launch time. This is very handy if none of the streaming options on YouTube have started their broadcasts.
Remember that there is a delay between a launch stream and the actual countdown clock. That is simply because of physics: it takes time for the signal to travel from the launch site, through the Internet, and back down to your phone, resulting in a five to fifteen-second delay.
Next Space Flight an app for iOS and Android phones, has a real-time countdown clock that is accurate to a second, give or take. The app is free. Search the App Store or Google Play. They are also on the web: nextspaceflight.com.
Launch Viewing: In Person
Given that this is a launch from Kennedy Space Center with no booster return to the Cape, Max Brewer Bridge and the northern Tistusville parks on Washington Avenue (US1) are your best bets: Space View Park, Rotary Riverview Park and others.
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and Cape Canaveral National Seashore will be closed for the evening, but if the launch pushes past 6AM EDT, those areas should be open.
The crew of Polaris Dawn looks at their ride to space at LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center on August 25. Photo: John Kraus / Polaris Dawn
The four crew members of Polaris Dawn are in the final parts of mission preparation at Kennedy Space Center today, and readying themselves for the planned liftoff of their mission overnight Tuesday morning.
All four are incredibly accomplished, successful, and results-driven; their curriculum vitae (Latin for “course of life”) shows that vividly.
Here’s a brief look at their paths to the launch pad:
Jared Isaacman, Mission Commander
Jared Isaacman, seen August 25th during rehearsal of launch day activities at Kennedy Space Center Photo: John Kraus / Polaris Dawn
Born in 1983 in New Jersey, Jared Isaacman began taking flying lessons in 2005. In 2008 and 2009, he set world records for the fastest circumnavigation of the globe. In 2011, he received a Bachelor’s degree in professional aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
Isaacman is the CEO of Shift4, a leading payments processing company listed on the New York Stock Exchange, and is the founder of Draken International, a company that provides contract air services using tactical fighter aircraft. Draken’s customers include the Department of Defense and the defense industry.
While in the Air Force, Poteet’s roles included a stint as commanding officer of the 64th Aggressor Squadron, a storied unit started in World War II that now primarily support the USAF Weapons School.
After the Air Force, Poteet worked for Draken Interntional and then Shift4 before he began training full time for the Polaris Dawn flight.
Poteet was a mission director in the 2021 for Inspiration 4. This will be his first flight to space.
Sarah Gillis, Mission Specialist
Sarah Gillis, as seen August 25th during the rehearsal of launch day activities at Kennedy Space Center Photo: John Kraus / Polaris Dawn
A familiar face to many space supporters, Sarah Gillis works for SpaceX as the Lead Space Operations engineer for the company, and she is often seen in documentaries and broadcasts of SpaceX’s crewed launch activities. She is often seen the Netflix documentary “Countdown: Inspiration4 Mission to Space,” where she she helped train the crew for their upcoming flight and also during the activities in space.
From Boulder Colorado, Ms. Gillis says that, “Growing up in a family of artists and musicians, I can’t say I grew up dreaming of being an engineer (or even knowing what engineering was). Rather, I fell into it when I discovered there was a profession entirely dedicated to creative problem solving, and have been hooked ever since.”
Gillis holds a degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Colorado. This will be her first space flight.
Anna Menon, Mission Specialist and Medical Officer
Anna Menon, as seen August 25th during the rehearsal of launch day activities at Kennedy Space Center Photo: John Kraus / Polaris Dawn
From Houston, Texas, Anna Menon also works for SpaceX as the Lead Space Operations Engineer. In her role, she manages the development of crew operations and serves in mission control as both a Mission Director and crew communicator.
She has led the implementation of Dragon’s crew capabilities, helped create the crew communicator operator role, and developed critical operational responses to vehicle emergencies such as a fire or cabin depressurization. Anna served in mission control during multiple Dragon missions, such as Demo-2, Crew-1, CRS-22, CRS-23, Crew-3, Crew-4, and Axiom-1.
Menon is a NASA veteran, woking seven years at the agency as a biomedical flight controller for the International Space Station.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and also Spanish from TCU (Texas Christian University) as well as a master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering from Duke University.
This will also be her first spaceflight.
Polaris Dawn is scheduled to launch Tuesday, August 27th. SpaceX is targeting Tuesday, August 27 at 3:38 a.m. ET for Falcon 9’s launch from Launch Complex 39A SpaceX adds that there are two additional launch opportunities within the four-hour window at 5:23 a.m. ET and 7:09 a.m. ET. If needed, backup opportunities are available on Wednesday, August 28 at the same times.
A Falcon 9 with Crew Dragon lifts off from LC-39A Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
Note: Biographies were prepared in part with information from the Polaris Dawn website.
Polaris Dawn’s Crew: (L-R) Jared “Rook” Isaacmen, Sarah Gillis, Anna Menon and Scott “Kid” Poteet. Photo: Jon Kraus / Polaris Program
The crew for the upcoming privately crew flight of Polaris Dawn mission arrived at Kennedy Space Center earlier this week and are now in final preparations for their upcoming flight aboard a Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon.
The Polaris Dawn launch window opens at 03:38 AM EDT Tuesday August 27 and extends until 07:10 AM the same day. If for some reason the launch is called off Tuesday, the next opportunity is Wednesday, August 28 using the same times.
Once aloft, the mission is planned to last five days.
Jared Isaacman Photo: John Kraus / Polaris Program
“After more than two years of training, we are excited to embark on this mission,” said Jared Isaacman, commander of the Polaris Dawn mission earlier this week.
“We are incredibly thankful for this opportunity and to the thousands of SpaceX engineers who have contributed to this endeavor. We hope the results from our mission will accelerate SpaceX’s vision to make life multiplanetary and support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and its efforts to improve global survival rates for childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Throughout our mission, we will aim to inspire humankind to look up and imagine what we can achieve here on Earth and in the worlds beyond our own.”
Isaacmen will be joined by Sarah Gillis, Anna Menon and Scott “Kid” Poteet on the Polaris Dawn mission, which plans to eventually fly at an orbital attitude of ~700 km (~435 miles) above the surface of the Earth, the highest since Pete Conrad and Richard Gordon flew Gemini 11 to a 1,373 km (~853 miles) in 1966.
To provide a bit of contrast, the International Space Station orbits the Earth at around 400 km (~250 miles), and the Hubble Space Telescope is at 515 km (320 miles). Polaris Dawn will be above both.
The mission also plans to conduct the first all-private spacewalk. All four astronauts will don new spacesuits built by SpaceX for this mission, while two will actually exit the depressurized Falcon 9.
Rendering of the Polaris Dawn Spacewalk Graphic: Polaris Program
“The idea is to learn as much as we possibly can about this suit and get it back to the engineers to inform future suit design evolutions,” Isaacman said Monday at Kennedy Space Center.
During their spacewalk, the crew will conduct tests to provide data that will provide SpaceX engineers with in-flight data of each suit’s performance, strengths, and weaknesses. That, in turn, will inform improvements, allowing SpaceX teams to produce and scale the suit for future long-duration missions.
LASER-based Space Communication
The mission will also test a new communications system while in flight. Using optical-based transmitters and receivers, Polaris Dawn will link with Starlink satellites, which will then link to Earth.
This will provide greater bandwidth than the current TDRSS (Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System) system used by current American spaceflights and of course ISS with military usage also being an important role for the system.
The TDRSS system. Graphic via Wikimedia
TDRSS has been in place since the 1980s, and while it has been a robust and reliable form of communication, its services are limited by the amount of usage for ISS, crewed flights, and other missions.
Currently, TDRSS provides about 6 Megabit per second in the S-band and 800 Mb/s in the Ku/Ka bands. That’s roughly what a home with cable broadband gets, and while that’s a decent amount of broadband, it is very busy and does no have a great deal of additional capacity.
The LASER links to Starlink will provide more bandwidth and multiple connections, giving more data flow to and from the Earth. With the growth of commercial spaceflight and the promise of commercial space stations in the near future, clearly a new system is needed.
Medical Experiments
Polaris Dawn will conduct at least forty human health experiments while in orbit, providing vital data to SpaceX about the physiological changes and effects of spaceflight on the human body, which in turn will help the company and others prepare future astronauts for long-duration flight both in orbit but also on the moon and for flights to and from Mars.
While it would be easy to overlook these experiments, new data on spaceflight and humans can only add to the knowledge already gathered through the years, particularly on ISS. The results that Polaris Dawn astronauts provide will confirm or question previous results, for example, and that can only improve the lives of future astronauts.
Talk of Titusville will be providing full coverage of the Polaris Dawn flight. Be sure to check back over the next few days for crew biographies, launch previews and more!
You must be logged in to post a comment.