SpaceX astronauts to conduct first spacewalk away from space station

SpaceX's Polaris Dawn mission, which will carry four astronauts three times farther from Earth than the International Space Station, is set to launch Monday, marking several firsts, including a commercial spacewalk in newly designed spacesuits.

The Polaris program is a test and development program for innovative spaceflight technologies that will ultimately lead to a new era of commercial space exploration. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk frequently refers to the goal of making humanity an “interplanetary species.”

SpaceX's Polaris Dawn spacecraft is scheduled to carry astronauts into space on Monday, the first mission of the Polaris program.

As part of the mission, astronauts will test out a next-generation spacesuit while performing the first commercial spacewalk.

Musk and SpaceX are the latest companies to move their headquarters to Texas for a more favorable business climate.

The crew will also launch to the highest altitude of any human space mission since the Apollo program, allowing them to test a new communications system using Elon Musk's Starlink.

Additionally, crew members will conduct nearly 40 critical health research experiments while raising money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, and one member will read the children's book “Kisses from Space” while in orbit.

“After more than two years of training, we are excited to launch on this mission,” said Jared Isaacman, Polaris Dawn mission commander. “We are incredibly grateful for this opportunity and for the thousands of SpaceX engineers who have contributed to this endeavor. We hope that the results of our mission will help accelerate SpaceX’s vision of multiplanetary living 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 humanity to look up and imagine what we can achieve here on Earth and on worlds beyond our own.”

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SpaceX's Polaris Dawn mission will include testing a new extravehicular activity (EVA) suit during a spacewalk three times the distance from Earth to the International Space Station. (Image credit: Polaris Program/John Krauss/Fox News)

Isaacman was the commander of Inspiration4, the world's first all-civilian mission to space in 2021. A native of Pennsylvania, Isaacman is an accomplished pilot who holds several world air records, including two round-the-world speed flights.

Joining Isaac are retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Scott “Kid” Poteet of New Hampshire, the mission pilot; mission specialist Sarah Gillis of Colorado; and mission specialist and medical officer Anna Menon of Houston.

Menon has written a children's book called “Kisses from Space,” which she will read to children from orbit.

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SpaceX's Polaris Dawn mission will include testing a new extravehicular activity (EVA) suit during a spacewalk three times the distance from Earth to the International Space Station. (Polaris Program/John Krauss/Fox News)

The new advanced extravehicular activity (EVA) spacesuits that will be used during the mission were unveiled in May, bridging the gap between style and functionality. Gone are the days of bulky, cumbersome spacesuits. The new EVA suit combines sleek design with advanced functionality.

Popular culture often misleads us with overly simplistic depictions of spacesuits. Unlike the “goldfish bowl” helmets and slip-on suits we see in movies, real spacesuits are complex, human-shaped spacecraft. They are equipped with propulsion and life support systems, making them more like deep-sea diving gear than regular clothing.

SpaceX’s current Intravehicular Activity (IVA) suits serve as emergency protection inside the Dragon capsule. However, they are not designed to withstand the rigors of spacewalks. The new EVA suit is a major upgrade, offering greater mobility, durability, and protection from the harsh conditions of space.

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The EVA suit retains the sleek design of the IVA model but introduces new materials and manufacturing techniques to improve performance. The suit is also scalable, ensuring a perfect fit for a variety of body types.

These helmets feature swiveling joints for better movement, advanced seals and valves, a 3D printed helmet with glare-reducing visor and camera, and heat management textiles for ultimate protection.

Kurt “Cyber ​​Guy” Knutson of Fox Business contributed to this report.