SpaceX has an incredible track record with Falcon9. I can say from personal experience they are very transparent when issues arise. I have no doubt they will arrive at a cause quickly and ensure the most cost-effective and reliable launch vehicle keeps delivering payload to orbit. As for Polaris Dawn, we will fly whenever SpaceX is ready and with complete confidence in the rocket, spaceship and operations
Thanks Jared. We will investigate the issue and look for any other potential near-misses.We are tracking to do more Falcon flights this year than Shuttle did in 30 years, the vast majority of which are uncrewed. A major advantage of this super high flight rate is that we can identify and resolve problems that may only occur once every 1000 flights. This is impossible on a low flight rate vehicle.
https://twitter.com/rookisaacman/status/1811517876358230418QuoteThere will be one EVA crew member out a time and we will not be free floating. We will be outside the hatch, so not a stand-up EVA, and we will maintain contact w/ mobility aids. The primary objective for the EVA is to learn about the suit performance (single hand and hands free operations, translation) as well as gathering data on thermal management and other ECLSS considerations.
There will be one EVA crew member out a time and we will not be free floating. We will be outside the hatch, so not a stand-up EVA, and we will maintain contact w/ mobility aids. The primary objective for the EVA is to learn about the suit performance (single hand and hands free operations, translation) as well as gathering data on thermal management and other ECLSS considerations.
As our Polaris Dawn crew prepares to conduct the first commercial spacewalk, we had the unique opportunity to meet and discuss EVA spacesuit development and operations with Apollo 16 legend and moonwalker Charlie Duke. Thank you for taking the time to visit the Polaris and SpaceX teams in California!
Jared Isaacman, Mission Commander, Polaris Dawn, spacesuit acceptance testing
JULY 18, 2024Polaris Dawn crew completes final series of EVA spacesuit testingThe Polaris Dawn crew recently completed a series of spacesuit acceptance tests in preparation for the mission’s extravehicular activity, or spacewalk, marking the final significant developmental and test milestone for SpaceX’s newly-developed EVA spacesuit →
The Polaris Dawn crew recently completed a series of spacesuit acceptance tests in preparation for the mission’s extravehicular activity, or spacewalk, marking the final significant developmental and test milestone for SpaceX’s newly-developed EVA spacesuit.Completing the first commercial extravehicular activity in low-Earth orbit is an important first step towards a future where millions of humans are visiting, working, and living on the Moon, Mars, and other destinations in our solar system.These tests marked the first time the Polaris Dawn crew wore the spacesuit in a vacuum environment, which allowed for:Familiarization with how the spacesuit performs in a vacuum;Collection of spacesuit and biometric data to assess the overall system’s performance in a flight-like environment;Understanding of general impacts of pressure changes on their body during pressurized operations;Insight into the various thermal states expected throughout the spacewalk; andAn elevated metabolic period for the crew to simulate the expected workload during the spacewalk, as well as a reduced-activity period to understand the trend of body temperatures throughout the operationPolaris Dawn’s spacewalk will mark both the first-ever commercial spacewalk and the first time that four astronauts will be concurrently exposed to the vacuum of space. During the approximately two-hour-long operation, Mission Commander Jared Isaacman and Mission Specialist Sarah Gillis will separately exit the Dragon spacecraft through its forward hatch. Mission Pilot Kidd Poteet and Mission Specialist & Medical Officer Anna Menon will remain seated, managing spacesuit umbilicals and monitoring telemetry on Dragon’s interior displays.This final spacesuit testing milestone took place at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, June 24-28, utilizing a historic chamber facility previously used to support testing of America’s earliest spacesuits and spacecraft during the Gemini and Apollo programs. Built in the mid-1960s, the facility was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985 and remains in use today to support various space industry tests.“It was a profound feeling for our crew to conduct operations in the same vacuum chambers that supported the Gemini and Apollo programs in the 1960s,” said Jared Isaacman.“These facilities were declared national historic landmarks because of the history they made then, and still today they make history and advance humankind’s capabilities in space. We are very grateful to the teams at NASA and SpaceX who contributed to the development and safe testing of these spacesuits.”
It has been a pleasure participating in the development of the @SpaceX EVA suit. The successful vacuum test was performed in a historic chamber at JSC that served the Gemini, Apollo & Shuttle programs. We are grateful for the hard work that has now certified these suits for Polaris Dawn. These suits, and their future evolutions, are going places 🚀
If 10-4 is return to flight and latest 23rd date holds,Then pad 39A might launch 10-9 ~24th.Is there time to change pad for dragon launch in July? Might they want more starlink launches before launching humans again?Even if extra starlink launches are not necessary, I assume delay 10-9 so Polaris Dawn can launch July is unlikely.Push to August seems likely one way or another.
What is "10-4"?
How do you mean? July 31, as NET date was annouced on July 3 (see above), a week earlier than the accident. What is "10-4"?
This may have been our last week @SpaceX for Polaris Dawn training. We reviewed research experiments, flew refresher launch/entry/EVA sims, completed cold testing and suit repair contingencies. We thanked everyone we could find, placed our mission patch on the simulator & signed it. It is always possible we could be back, but for now, we are ready.
Quote from: geza on 07/20/2024 09:46 amHow do you mean? July 31, as NET date was annouced on July 3 (see above), a week earlier than the accident. What is "10-4"?I was just using 10-4 as short for Starlink group 10-4 launch but someone used the citizen band radio 10-4.July 31, as NET date was announced on July 3 and this is not wrong. However it is not as helpful as NET August if we know this to be true and NET 31 July might be considered slightly misleading indicating 31st might still be possible. So I am suggesting that it is best to correct this if we are sure. Zub noted that after 10-9 and the pad being changed for Dragon there has to be static fire and rehearsal and so he seems sure and has changed the thread title to NET Aug.
No earlier than late summer 2024, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket will launch the Polaris Dawn mission from Florida.
Website updated.QuoteNo earlier than late summer 2024, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket will launch the Polaris Dawn mission from Florida.
Is it safe to assume that this means after Crew-9, or do we know?
Quote from: Tomness on 07/09/2024 03:47 pmIt doesn't matter any more, they can do Crew from 39a & 40I don't think we've yet heard of NASA's official green light for crew launches from SLC-40.
It doesn't matter any more, they can do Crew from 39a & 40
