All articles tagged with #polaris program
Billionaire Jared Isaacman is proposing a private SpaceX mission to service the aging Hubble Space Telescope, aiming to extend its operational life by up to two decades. Despite the innovative plan, concerns about the risks and technical challenges persist, and NASA has yet to release a feasibility study on the proposal.
The Polaris Program's first mission, Polaris Dawn, funded by Shift4 CEO Jared Issacman, is nearing launch readiness, aiming to achieve milestones such as the first private spacewalk and conducting science experiments in orbit. Partnering with SpaceX, the program has modified its Dragon spacecraft and developed an upgraded spacesuit for spacewalk operations. The mission is set to launch in early summer, with future plans including a servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope and a crewed flight on Starship, aligning with SpaceX's ambitious goals for space exploration.
The first mission of the Polaris program, Polaris Dawn, which includes the first spacewalk on a commercial mission, has been rescheduled for April 2024. The delay of nearly a year and a half from its original plan is due to challenges in developing an extravehicular activity (EVA) suit and modifying the Crew Dragon spacecraft, which lacks an airlock. Other issues include testing intersatellite laser communications links and electronics for the higher radiation environment. The launch date has been repeatedly pushed back since the program's announcement in February 2022.