Author Topic: SpaceX F9/Crew Dragon: Polaris Dawn : KSC LC-39A : NET Summer 2024  (Read 161058 times)

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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Suggest we keep discussion to the Polaris program thread (https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=55803.0), unless/until we know it directly involves Polaris Dawn.

Offline hektor

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Online StarshipTrooper

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Why is Jarad Issacman on the panel for a NASA announcement?
« Reply #262 on: 09/29/2022 07:18 pm »
A NASA press conference with Jarad Issacman!

https://twitter.com/SciGuySpace/status/1575500612061474816

What could this mean?
“I'm very confident that success is within the set of possible outcomes.”  Elon Musk

Online gongora

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Reminder there is a thread for the Polaris program:
https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=55803.0

Today's press conference may not be specific to the Polaris Dawn mission.

Offline Oersted

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Reminder there is a thread for the Polaris program:
https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=55803.0

Today's press conference may not be specific to the Polaris Dawn mission.

thanks, lots of great info about the reboosting idea in that thread!

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1576959335078526976

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In the Washington Post interview now in progress (youtube.com/watch?v=YH7zzj…) Jared Isaacman says the Polaris Dawn launch is now scheduled for no earlier than March 1. (Original goal was to launch before the end of this year.)

https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1576960102074023938

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Isaacman: training schedule for Inspiration4 was six months. Looking at eight to nine months for Polaris Dawn.

Offline ddspaceman

Here is a replay of Jared Isaacman's interview with C Davenport.    NOTE: Skip first 14.5 minutes of test pattern...




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Offline ddspaceman


Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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twitter.com/embryriddle/status/1580910056354492417

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Five students recently visited @SpaceX headquarters to learn from the pros and hone their hardware design for a camera system to capture images & video of the first commercial spacewalk planned for the #PolarisDawn mission, led by alumnus Jared Isaacman!🚀

https://news.erau.edu/headlines/eagles-visit-spacex-in-development-of-new-camera-system-for-polaris-dawn-mission

https://twitter.com/rookisaacman/status/1580916364138536960

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We are excited to see @EmbryRiddle LLAMAS camera system in action. Go Eagles.
« Last Edit: 10/14/2022 02:16 pm by FutureSpaceTourist »


Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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https://twitter.com/erdayastronaut/status/1581347766739271681

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Watch me get thrown around in a Fighter Fet & pull 7 G's with @KiddPoteet & the @PolarisProgram Dawn Crew! We talk to @rookisaacman, @annawmenon & @Gillis_SarahE about Fighter Jet Training, go over the physics and lots of other fun stuff! WATCH NOW!!! youtu.be/eR3PZSAK2Dc

« Last Edit: 10/15/2022 06:32 pm by FutureSpaceTourist »

Offline Oersted

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Good thing he had his barf bag along.

So, should we have a poll bout when Everyday Astronaut actually gets to space? (and, no, suborbital with Blue Origin or Virgin doesn't count in my book...).

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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twitter.com/polarisprogram/status/1583462136332062720

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Our teams visited White Sands Test Facility to observe how EVA suit materials behave after being struck by micrometeorites or orbital debris, an important part of developing the spacesuits the Polaris Dawn crew will wear during the mission’s spacewalk

https://twitter.com/polarisprogram/status/1583462141314859008

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Photo: Reed Elliot – Lead Photographer, NASA White Sands Test Facility (WSTF)
« Last Edit: 10/21/2022 02:32 pm by FutureSpaceTourist »

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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https://twitter.com/rookisaacman/status/1583498521465847812

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Great few days w/@PolarisProgram & @SpaceX team.  We kicked off joint sims & observed the hypervelocity MMOD testing on EVA suit materials. It is clear you don't want to unintentionally connect w/any object at 8+ km/sec. Unfortunate reality is there is a lot of debris up there.

https://twitter.com/rookisaacman/status/1583498752190316544

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Thanks NASA & WSTF for the support. It was an incredible visit..we enjoyed watching you work.
« Last Edit: 10/21/2022 04:42 pm by FutureSpaceTourist »

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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twitter.com/polarisprogram/status/1584500206569394178

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Today we announced the extensive suite of science and research experiments the Polaris Dawn crew will conduct throughout our mission →

https://polarisprogram.com/science-research/

https://twitter.com/polarisprogram/status/1584500211476373504

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The 38 selected projects from 23 partner institutions are designed to advance both human health on Earth and on future long-duration spaceflight.

Edit to add:

https://twitter.com/rookisaacman/status/1584502448709697536

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We will make every minute of our 5 day mission count.
« Last Edit: 10/24/2022 11:40 am by FutureSpaceTourist »

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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Here’s the full list:

https://polarisprogram.com/science-research/

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Each bullet denotes a unique science and research experiment planned for the Polaris Dawn mission.

Baylor College of Medicine:
TRISH – BioBank (HSGC Omics):
Biospeciments from the Biobank are also stored at Baylor College of Medicine as part of an omics study. This study aims to perform the gold standard omics analysis to start building an understanding of effects of space on the human body.
TRISH – Expand Intra-Cranial Pressure: Spaceflight Associated Neuroocular Syndrome (SANS) is a set of symptoms affecting the vision of astronauts. Currently, it is believed that SANS symptoms are caused by increased pressure in the brain during spaceflight. One way to directly measure pressure in the brain is by performing a lumbar puncture. This procedure will be performed as close to landing as possible to determine if the crewmembers’ brain pressures increased during spaceflight.
TRISH – SANS Surveillance: This project collects SANS-related ocular images and vision function data during ground phases of the mission closely following NASA’s protocols. As SANS is NASA’s top human spaceflight risk, and the data collected in this project will create a new dataset, comparable to existing SANS-related datasets collected by NASA on its government astronauts.

Embry Riddle Aeronautical University:
LLAMAS:
Literally Looking at More Astronauts in Space (LLAMAS) is a student-led project from the Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Space Technologies Lab. The team seeks to design and build a camera to capture immersive views of the Polaris Dawn EVA.

Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth:
Stone Risk:
Weightlessness causes both bone and muscle loss. This loss varies from person to person, but the ability to identify inflight those crewmembers who are most affected, so that countermeasures can be targeted to them, doesn’t currently exist. This study will examine whether first morning urine samples could provide a simple way to track astronaut bone and muscle health in space to individualize countermeasure programs.

Johns Hopkins University:
Otolith & Posture:
Motion sickness is commonly experienced in spaceflight, both upon entering space and after returning to Earth. However, there is a lot of individual variability both to the degree of motion sickness and how long it lasts. One theory to explain these differences lies in the tiny crystals that reside in the inner ear and sense gravity. The theory is that some people have more or larger stones in one ear than the other – or are more sensitive to their motion on one side than the other – and that the brain has learned to compensate for this difference (asymmetry). However, in space, this learned compensation is not appropriate (since it was learned in 1 g on Earth), and this causes space motion sickness. This study will test these differences between the two ears using a tablet computer. If motion sickness is caused by this asymmetry, this could give astronauts insight to motion sickness susceptibility and help them prepare accordingly.

KBR, Level Ex:
Ultrasound Innovation:
During space exploration missions, crew must be prepared to diagnose and treat themselves as medical issues arise. Intelligent medical imagining tools could assist non-physician astronauts understand changes happening inside the body. In this study, the Polaris Dawn crew will use a miniaturized, intelligent ultrasound to scan themselves and collect medical-grade images.

Keck School of Medicine of USC:
Space Radiology:
In-flight space medicine will be necessary for long-term human spaceflight missions, and radiology will be a critical component, both for diagnostics and interventions. However, access to X-ray imaging is required to evaluate and treat life-threatening pathologies of deep organs such as brain, heart, and lungs. The objective is proof of principle experiments to determine if the ambient space radiation can be used as a first step to achieve in-flight, X-ray radiographs in space.

Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University:
ONS Ultrasound:
Ultrasound imaging is a powerful medical and research tool for future exploration missions with a small footprint and a broad functionality. The Polaris Dawn crew will use a novel 3-D ultrasound device to build 3-D images of the structure of the eye to better understand the many changes eyes undergo in microgravity in preparation for both short- and long-duration space exploration.

Medical University of South Carolina:
Brain MRI:
Using a novel, portable MRI (Hyperfine), Polaris Dawn crewmembers’ brains will be imaged within hours of returning from space. This will be the first time an astronaut’s brain has been imaged so close to landing and will help explain if the brain changes observed in other astronauts are due to re-adaptation to Earth or reflective of their brains in space.

NASA:
Intranasal Scopolomine:
Motion sickness is commonly experienced in spaceflight, both upon entering space and after returning to Earth. Most motion sickness medications have many unwanted side effects that are less than ideal when launching or landing, including drowsiness. Intranasal scopolamine (scopolamine delivered into the nostril) has been shown to be effective against motion sickness without many of the unwanted side effects. Another benefit of this drug is the speed of its efficacy, so can be used as a “rescue” drug as opposed to most motion sickness medication that requires it to be taken before any symptoms occur.
Occupant Protection: Launching into space and returning to Earth causes the human body to undergo substantial forces. The spacecraft’s seat and respective restraints, spacesuit, and vehicle dynamics determine the forces astronauts are exposed to. Sex, age, anthropometry, and spaceflight deconditioning are just a few of the characteristics that play a role in how well these loads are tolerated. This study aims to identify the injury risk based on all of these factors. That information will be used to assess future risk of injury and develop mitigations.
Radiation Measurements: Astronauts have reported seeing flashes of light when their eyes are closed. This is caused by radiation exposure in space, but many questions still exist as to exactly how and why this effect happens. The Polaris Dawn mission’s unique, high-altitude orbit will expose the crew to more radiation than a trip to the International Space Station. This provides a unique opportunity to study the light flash phenomenon in more depth, as we expect more light flashes to occur in higher radiation environments.

Nebula Research & Development and the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences:
Automated Pupillometery:
Automated pupillometers are a widespread tool to measure intercranial pressure non-invasively, most commonly used in intensive care units. Most researchers believe the headward fluid shifts caused by microgravity result in increased intercranial pressure in astronauts, possibly leading to Spaceflight Associated Neuroocular Syndrome (SANS). This study proposes using the common hospital tool as a way to non-invasively measure intercranial pressure in spaceflight.

Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI):
Anemia:
All astronauts return from space with anemia. Recent data revealed that red blood cells death was increased in space. This collaborative study will implement novel, cutting-edge technologies to uncover key mechanisms of spaceflight-related anemia.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory:
Orbital High-Energy Space Neutron Activation Project:
The amount and energies of neutrons produced when galactic cosmic rays interact with spacecraft, such as the Dragon spacecraft, are not well characterized. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s (PNNL) Orbital High-energy Space Neutron Activation Project (OHSNAP) experiment seeks to measure the high-energy neutron environment in the Dragon spacecraft using materials to record neutron interactions, followed by measurement of those materials using ultra-sensitive detectors at PNNL. This information will be used to better estimate the amount and type of radiation exposure the human spaceflight crews would be subject to on future missions, and for comparison to model predictions.

Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania:
Cognition and Physiology:
The Polaris Dawn crew’s cognitive performance will be monitored with NASA’s Cognition test battery administered with the Joggle Research app (Pulsar Informatics Inc.) on a tablet device during all phases of the mission. Cognition was designed for high-performing astronauts and consists of ten tests that cover a range of cognitive domains relevant for spaceflight including memory, abstraction, spatial orientation, emotion recognition, risk decision making, and sustained attention. The Polaris Dawn crew will also collect physiological and movement data with a Garmin smartwatch and a novel single-electrode sensor (BioButton, BioIntelliSense Inc.) that will be correlated with the cognitive test data, alertness and mood survey responses, the Dragon spacecraft’s environment (e.g., carbon dioxide and temperature levels), and the outcomes of the other investigators (e.g., spaceflight-induced changes in brain structure).

Space Team – Neoteryx, CMU, DU:
Pharmacokinetics:
Spaceflight alters human physiology due to fluid shifts, muscle and bone loss, immune system dysregulation, and changes in the gastrointestinal tract and metabolic enzymes. These alterations may change how the body processes medications and subsequently might impact drug efficacy and safety. Currently, medications are administered under the assumption they act in a similar way as on Earth. The Polaris Dawn crew will perform a study to determine how the body processes certain common pharmaceuticals, becoming one of the first evidence-based studies of how medications are processed in space.

SpaceX:
Airway Assessment:
Astronauts in microgravity experience a shift of fluids toward the head that may cause swelling of the airways. Airway swelling is well-known to make certain life-saving interventions more difficult to perform successfully. In this study, we will use a fiberoptic camera and ultrasound device to take images and measurements of the vocal cords, larynx, and soft tissue of the upper airway. This information will be critical to informing future planning for spaceflight medical emergencies such as choking, allergic reactions, or need for intubation, and delivery of general anesthesia to facilitate surgery in space.
CGM: One of SpaceX and Polaris Dawn’s driving goals is to make space accessible to more people. More than 10% of the population in the United States is diabetic. With the ability to monitor glucose levels in space, diabetic astronauts will be able to fly with confidence knowing they can manage their diabetes as well in space as on the ground. The fluid shifts that occur in space may affect the accuracy of continuous glucose monitors; this study aims to validate a continuous glucose monitor over the duration of the Polaris Dawn mission.
CPR in SpaceX’s Dragon Spacecraft: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a life-saving intervention that requires someone to forcibly pump an unconscious person’s heart by compressing their chest repetitively. Although this has yet to be required in spaceflight, as we continue to expand access to space, the chances of requiring this intervention increases. Additionally, microgravity makes the chest compressions exceedingly challenging. The International Space Station has a procedure if CPR were to be required, but no procedures or best practices exist for SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft. The Polaris Dawn crew will experiment to find the optimal positioning to perform CPR and use a CPR training device to validate the procedures.
Functional Tasks: Adaptation to microgravity causes astronauts to experience severe balance and coordination challenges once they return to a gravitational environment. Currently, astronauts are welcomed back to Earth with medical doctors, nurses, and recovery teams. Future exploration missions will require crews to be self-sufficient upon landing on the Moon or Mars. A sensorimotor assessment will be critical to help them determine when they are ready to safely leave the vehicle and start exploring.

SpaceX & NASA:
VacuuMed Stability Study:
Pharmaceuticals are used in the treatment of most medical disorders; however, the spaceflight environment may affect the efficacy, safety and composition of medications that astronauts rely on to assure health and performance. This study will test commonly used pharmaceuticals for physical and chemical changes after short-term exposure to the spaceflight environment.

SpaceX & University of Calgary:
Bone Health:
Using a rare, cutting-edge high-resolution CT scan of bone density and structure, Polaris Dawn crewmembers’ wrists and ankles will be scanned. The goal of this study is to identify early signs of bone loss and structural changes. If detected, this would be the earliest bone loss has been imaged, and a demonstration that bone structural changes happen within a relatively short five days in microgravity.

TRISH – Baylor College of Medicine:
Sleep:
It’s common for astronauts to experience poor sleep quality in space, resulting from stress and disrupted circadian rhythms. This survey will capture the Polaris Dawn crew’s individual sleep experiences and quality to provide contextual data that will aid researchers in studying and improving astronaut sleep. The questionnaire is part of TRISH Essential Measures, which provide contextual information for other Polaris Dawn research.
Personality: Space exploration is both physically and psychologically challenging. Yet the success of a space mission requires close cooperation and crew cohesion. This questionnaire investigates the personality traits that make a crew and their mission successful. The questionnaire is part of TRISH Essential Measures, which provide contextual information for other Polaris Dawn research.
Health: Working with commercial astronauts allows researchers to study the health history and habits of new and diverse spaceflight participants. This questionnaire collects additional datapoints for researchers looking for new health and safety protections for astronauts. The questionnaire is part of TRISH Essential Measures, which provide contextual information for other Polaris Dawn research.
Immune: Existing evidence suggests spaceflight environment impairs immune system function in space travelers. In a series of research questions, scientists will collect historical data on the Polaris Dawn crew’s immune systems, increasing the wealth of medical data for researchers investigating the body’s immune response to spaceflight. The data collected may lead to immune system protections for future astronauts. The questionnaire is part of TRISH Essential Measures, which provide contextual information for other Polaris Dawn research.

University of Colorado Boulder:
Cross-Coupled Illusion:
Weightlessness causes bone density loss, muscle loss, brain changes, and affects every system in the human body. Artificial gravity would prevent these changes and make long-duration spaceflight much more tolerable for the human body. One of the easiest ways to provide artificial gravity is with a short-radius centrifuge. However, the short-radius centrifuge can be quite disorienting due to a sensation called the cross-coupled illusion, which makes people feel as if they’re tumbling if they move their head slightly while being spun in the centrifuge. It is possible that this sensation may not happen once the body has adapted to microgravity. This would make the short-radius centrifuge an appealing option for providing artificial gravity on future exploration missions.
Eye Changes: Relatively recently, it was discovered that astronauts were experiencing Spaceflight Associated Neuroocular Syndrome (SANS), which symptoms include swelling of the optic nerve, changes in the shape of the eye, and changes to vision. It is thought this is due to the absence of gravity acting on the body, causing a headward fluid shift and may lead to changes in pressure in the brain and eye. To identify the initial adaptation of the eye upon entering microgravity, the Polaris Dawn crew will don smart contact lenses with tiny micro-sensors that continuously measure pressure inside their eyes. The crewmembers will also measure whether their vision changes on-orbit. This data could confirm fluid shifts are indeed causing changes to the eye, which may ultimately contribute to SANS.
Gravity Transitions: When going to space, crewmembers are exposed to sustained microgravity. Anecdotally, astronauts report an “inversion illusion” in which they feel like they are tumbling forward upside down. While this is a fundamental experience (e.g., going from having gravity to suddenly not), this has never been studied systematically. Upon main engine cutoff, Polaris Dawn crewmembers will pay attention to the sensations they experience in order to capture the feeling. Additionally, crewmembers will pay attention and report sensations upon re-entry to a gravitational environment. We anticipate the Polaris Dawn crew will experience an illusion sensation of pitching backwards or even translating backwards when reintroduced to gravity.
GVS Disorientation: Upon returning to Earth, astronauts suffer from balance and coordination challenges that are a result of their brain readapting to gravity. This study aims to test an analog of that feeling, sending electricity through the inner ears to simulate the balance and coordination challenges astronauts experience. If accurate, this tool could be used to introduce future human spaceflight crews to the sensation during training.
Repeat Flyer Motion Sickness: Generally, when astronauts go to space more than once, their motion sickness is reduced compared to their initial flight. Researchers do not know if that is because astronauts have come up with techniques to avoid provoking motion sickness or if there is a lasting adaptation, or habituation to the microgravity environment. To test this, Polaris Dawn crewmembers will perform provocative head movements and then rank their motion sickness.

University of Hawaii:
4C Model:
Being weightless in microgravity unloads muscles and bones, resulting in a loss of muscle strength and bone density. Similarly, microgravity causes a shift of fluids towards the head, causing swelling of the face and thinning of the lower extremities. Long-duration exploration missions will require a way to monitor body composition and body shape to help monitor health and fitness. This project proposes a space-feasible body composition and body shape analysis achievable with a smartphone and smartwatch.

USAFA:
LEO Plants:
The United States Air Force Academy will conduct its first low-Earth orbit botanical space experiment on the Polaris Dawn mission. This investigation of microgravity, magnetic, and fungal influences on root growth will inform plant growth procedures for food viability and sustainability on the Moon or Mars. Additionally, this experiment will provide actionable physical and genetic data relative to plant growth to improve food production here on Earth.

UT Health:
Medication Processing:
Fluid shifts caused by microgravity affects blood flow in the body. It is possible that veins in the liver and kidney have reduced capabilities in the space environment. This is critical in understanding how the body processes medications in space, which could change medication dosages or efficacy. This study will use doppler ultrasonography of the liver and kidneys to measure blood flow and feed that information into models of how medication is processed in the body.

Weill Cornell:
BioBank:
As spaceflight becomes available to a broader range of humanity, there is an opportunity to characterize how spaceflight affects the human body at the genetic level. To achieve that, biological specimens are collected from commercial astronauts before, during, and after the mission. The samples are held within a federated repository, a Biobank, and are made available to any researcher with an ethics-approved study. This particular study focuses on novel and exploratory genetic analysis, pushing the boundaries of what we know about the effects of space on the human body.
SOMA: This study focuses on novel and exploratory genetic and molecular analyses (multi-omics).
« Last Edit: 10/24/2022 11:16 am by FutureSpaceTourist »


Offline Rondaz

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