Polaris Dawn Mission News Conference | NASA's Kennedy Space Center

Polaris Dawn Mission News Conference | NASA's Kennedy Space Center

On August 21, 2024, before launching atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, Commander Jared Isaacman, Pilot Scott "Kidd" Poteet, Mission Specialist Anna Menon and Mission Specialist Sarah Gillis joined William Gerstenmaier, SpaceX's vice president of Build and Flight Reliability to discuss the historic flight at NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

The Polaris Dawn Mission will fly a specially-modified SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft higher than any mission to date since the Apollo program, endeavoring to reach the highest Earth orbit ever flown at approximately 700 kilometers above the Earth. Orbiting through portions of the Van Allen radiation belt, Polaris Dawn will conduct research with the aim of better understanding the effects of spaceflight and space radiation on human health, while testing laser-based communications.

The Polaris Dawn crew is preparing for the mission’s "first commercial spacewalk". This extravehicular activity (EVA) will be the final test 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."

The goals of the spacesuit tests are: 

1. Familiarization with how the spacesuit performs in a vacuum

2. Collection of spacesuit and biometric data to assess the overall system’s performance in a flight-like environment

3. Understanding of general impacts of pressure changes on their body during pressurized operations

4. Insight into thermal states expected throughout the spacewalk

5. An 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 operation

Polaris Dawn’s spacewalk will be 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.

Polaris Dawn Crew

Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander

Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot

Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist

Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer

Learn more about the Polaris Program:

https://polarisprogram.com

Video Credits: Polaris Program / SpaceX / Spaceflight Now

Duration: 1 hour, 18 minutes

Capture Date: Aug. 21, 2024

#NASA #SpaceX #Space #Earth #PolarisDawn #CrewDragonSpacecraft #EVA #Spacewalk #Spacesuits #SpaceTechnology #Astronauts #JaredIsaacman #ScottPoteet #SarahGillis #AnnaMenon #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #SpaceExploration #KSC #LC39A #MerrittIsland #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Interacting Galaxies ESO 69-6 in Triangulum Australe | Hubble

Interacting Galaxies ESO 69-6 in Triangulum Australe | Hubble

The galaxies of this beautiful interacting pair bear a resemblance to musical notes on a stave. Long tidal tails sweep out from the two galaxies. Gas and stars were stripped out and torn away from the outer regions of the galaxies. The presence of these tails is the unique signature of an interaction. ESO 69-6 is located in the constellation of Triangulum Australe, the Southern Triangle, about 650 million light-years away from Earth.

This image is part of a large collection of 59 images of merging galaxies taken by the Hubble Space Telescope and released on the occasion of its 18th anniversary on April 24, 2008.

Image Credit: NASA, European Space Agency, the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble Collaboration and A. Evans (University of Virginia, Charlottesville/NRAO/Stony Brook University)

Release Date: April 24, 2008

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Hubble #Stars #Galaxies #Galaxy #ESO696 #InteractingGalaxies #TriangulumAustrale #Constellation #Cosmos #Universe #HST #HubbleSpaceTelescope #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education

Polaris Dawn Mission: SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Static Test Fire: Pre-launch

Polaris Dawn Mission: SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Static Test Fire: Pre-launch

On Aug. 25, 2024, SpaceX conducted a static test fire of the Falcon 9 rocket with the Crew Dragon spacecraft for the Polaris Dawn Mission at the NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) located in Merritt Island, Florida. The Dragon spacecraft supporting this mission previously flew Crew-1 to and from the International Space Station, and Inspiration4, the first all-civilian mission to orbit. This will be the fourth flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Crew-8 and two Starlink missions. Following stage separation, Falcon 9’s first stage will land on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. Launch is expected no earlier than Aug. 27, 2024.

The Polaris Dawn Mission will fly a specially-modified SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft higher than any mission to date since the Apollo program, endeavoring to reach the highest Earth orbit ever flown at approximately 700 kilometers above the Earth. Orbiting through portions of the Van Allen radiation belt, Polaris Dawn will conduct research with the aim of better understanding the effects of spaceflight and space radiation on human health, while testing laser-based communications.

The Polaris Program is a planned human spaceflight program organized by businessman and commercial astronaut Jared Isaacman. Isaacman, who commanded the first all-civilian spaceflight— Inspiration4—in September 2021, purchased flights from SpaceX in order to create the Polaris Program.

The Polaris Dawn crew is preparing for the mission’s "first commercial spacewalk". This extravehicular activity (EVA) will be the final test 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."

The goals of the spacesuit tests are: 

1. Familiarization with how the spacesuit performs in a vacuum

2. Collection of spacesuit and biometric data to assess the overall system’s performance in a flight-like environment

3. Understanding of general impacts of pressure changes on their body during pressurized operations

4. Insight into thermal states expected throughout the spacewalk

5. An 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 operation

Polaris Dawn’s spacewalk will be 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.

Polaris Dawn Crew

Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander

Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot

Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist

Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer

Learn more about the Polaris Program:

https://polarisprogram.com

Image Credits: Polaris Program/SpaceX

Image Date: Aug. 24, 2024

#NASA #SpaceX #Space #Earth #PolarisDawn #CrewDragonSpacecraft #Falcon9Rocket #EVA #Spacewalk #Spacesuits #SpaceTechnology #Astronauts #JaredIsaacman #ScottPoteet #SarahGillis #AnnaMenon #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #SpaceExploration #KSC #LC39A #MerrittIsland #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Polaris Dawn Mission: Launch Practice | NASA's Kennedy Space Center

Polaris Dawn Mission: Launch Practice | NASA's Kennedy Space Center

From left to right: Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer, Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot, Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander, Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist

Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist

Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer

Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer

Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander

Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot

Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer

Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander (foreground) and Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot (background)

On Aug. 25, 2024, the Polaris Dawn Mission crew performed a dress rehearsal at Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) located at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida. Their SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and specially-modified Crew Dragon spacecraft are being prepared for launch 

no earlier than Aug. 27, 2024.

The Polaris Dawn Mission will fly a specially-modified SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft higher than any mission to date since the Apollo program, endeavoring to reach the highest Earth orbit ever flown at approximately 700 kilometers above the Earth. Orbiting through portions of the Van Allen radiation belt, Polaris Dawn will conduct research with the aim of better understanding the effects of spaceflight and space radiation on human health, while testing laser-based communications.

The Polaris Dawn crew is preparing for the mission’s "first commercial spacewalk". This extravehicular activity (EVA) will be the final test 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."

The goals of the spacesuit tests are: 

1. Familiarization with how the spacesuit performs in a vacuum

2. Collection of spacesuit and biometric data to assess the overall system’s performance in a flight-like environment

3. Understanding of general impacts of pressure changes on their body during pressurized operations

4. Insight into thermal states expected throughout the spacewalk

5. An 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 operation

Polaris Dawn’s spacewalk will be 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.

Polaris Dawn Crew

Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander

Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot

Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist

Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer

Learn more about the Polaris Program:

https://polarisprogram.com

Image Credits: Polaris Program/SpaceX

Image Dates: Aug. 25, 2024

#NASA #SpaceX #Space #Earth #PolarisDawn #CrewDragonSpacecraft #EVA #Spacewalk #Spacesuits #SpaceTechnology #Astronauts #JaredIsaacman #ScottPoteet #SarahGillis #AnnaMenon #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #SpaceExploration #KSC #LC39A #MerrittIsland #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Polaris Dawn Mission Crew: Launch Preparations | NASA's Kennedy Space Center

Polaris Dawn Mission: Launch Preparations | NASA's Kennedy Space Center

From left to right: Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer, Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot, Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander, Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist

From left to right: Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer, Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot, Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander, Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist

From left to right: Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist, Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot, Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer, Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander

Polaris Dawn Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft at NASA's Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Merritt Island, Florida

On Aug. 25, 2024, the Polaris Dawn Mission crew performed a dress rehearsal at Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) located at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida. Their SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and specially-modified Crew Dragon spacecraft are being prepared for launch 

no earlier than Aug. 27, 2024.

The Polaris Dawn Mission will fly a specially-modified SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft higher than any mission to date since the Apollo program, endeavoring to reach the highest Earth orbit ever flown at approximately 700 kilometers above the Earth. Orbiting through portions of the Van Allen radiation belt, Polaris Dawn will conduct research with the aim of better understanding the effects of spaceflight and space radiation on human health, while testing laser-based communications.

The Polaris Dawn crew is preparing for the mission’s "first commercial spacewalk". This extravehicular activity (EVA) will be the final test 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."

The goals of the spacesuit tests are: 

1. Familiarization with how the spacesuit performs in a vacuum

2. Collection of spacesuit and biometric data to assess the overall system’s performance in a flight-like environment

3. Understanding of general impacts of pressure changes on their body during pressurized operations

4. Insight into thermal states expected throughout the spacewalk

5. An 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 operation

Polaris Dawn’s spacewalk will be 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.

Polaris Dawn Crew

Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander

Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot

Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist

Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer

Learn more about the Polaris Program:

https://polarisprogram.com

Image Credits: Polaris Program/SpaceX

Image Dates: Aug. 24-25, 2024

#NASA #SpaceX #Space #Earth #PolarisDawn #CrewDragonSpacecraft #EVA #Spacewalk #Spacesuits #SpaceTechnology #Astronauts #JaredIsaacman #ScottPoteet #SarahGillis #AnnaMenon #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #SpaceExploration #KSC #LC39A #MerrittIsland #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Shenzhou-18 Crew: Experiments & Maintenance Work | China Space Station

Shenzhou-18 Crew: Experiments & Maintenance Work | China Space Station

 

The Shenzhou-18 astronauts, who have been in orbit for about four months, have conducted a series of space science experiments while performing a variety of tasks, including environmental monitoring and equipment maintenance, on China's Tiangong space station, as shown in recently released footage from the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

The three Shenzhou-18 crew members—Ye Guangfu, Li Cong, and Li Guangsu—who boarded the Tiangong space station in late April 2024, used an experimental information management computer and specialized testing software to conduct assessments of their emergency decision-making abilities and in-orbit emotional states. Ground-based researchers will analyze the collected data to evaluate the astronauts' decision-making capabilities and emotional responses, aiming to understand the underlying patterns.

In the field of aerospace medicine, the crew has conducted eye-hand coordination tests, electrical acupoint stimulation and muscle adaptability experiments.

The astronauts used visual coordination testing devices to complete eye-hand coordination tests, including point-to-point tracking and finger movements in mid-air. Ground researchers are expected to use the results to study changes in the stability, accuracy and coordination of the astronauts' fine motor control skills during spaceflight, providing valuable references for future mission procedures and human-machine interface design.

Guided by traditional Chinese medicine theories, the astronauts used portable acupoint stimulation devices for electrical stimulation and completed evaluation forms afterward. This research aims to understand how acupoint stimulation can regulate cardiovascular function and prevent muscle atrophy in microgravity conditions.

In the muscle adaptability experiments, the crew conducted tests on Achilles tendon stiffness, lower-limb kinematics and foot pressure using specialized equipment to gather data on changes in muscle structure and function. Ground researchers will compare pre-flight and post-flight data to clarify the biomechanical effects of long-term weightlessness and in-orbit exercise on the lower limbs.

Additionally, the astronauts underwent regular medical checks, such as body mass measurements, to monitor their health. They also organized supplies, managed waste, and carried out routine cleaning tasks to maintain the space station's living environment.

Shenzhou-18 Crew:

Ye Guangfu (叶光富, commander)

Li Cong (李聪, mission specialist)

Li Guangsu (李广苏, mission specialist)

Video Credit: China Central Television (CCTV) Video News Agency

Duration: 1 minute, 22 seconds

Release Date: Aug. 25, 2024

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #China #中国 #Shenzhou18 #神舟十八 #ScientificExperiments #SpacePhysics #LifeSciences #Taikonauts #Astronauts #YeGuangfu #LiCong #LiGuangsu #CSS #ChinaSpaceStation #中国空间站 #TiangongSpaceStation #SpaceLaboratory #CMSA #国家航天局 #HumanSpaceflight #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Polaris Dawn Mission: First Commercial Spacewalk in New SpaceX Spacesuit

Polaris Dawn Mission: First Commercial Spacewalk in New SpaceX Spacesuit

The Polaris Dawn Mission will fly a specially-modified SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft higher than any mission to date since the Apollo program, endeavoring to reach the highest Earth orbit ever flown at approximately 700 kilometers above the Earth. Orbiting through portions of the Van Allen radiation belt, Polaris Dawn will conduct research with the aim of better understanding the effects of spaceflight and space radiation on human health, while testing laser-based communications. Launch is expected no earlier than Aug. 27, 2024.

The Polaris Dawn crew is preparing for the mission’s "first commercial spacewalk". This extravehicular activity (EVA) will be the final test 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."

The goals of the spacesuit tests are: 

1. Familiarization with how the spacesuit performs in a vacuum

2. Collection of spacesuit and biometric data to assess the overall system’s performance in a flight-like environment

3. Understanding of general impacts of pressure changes on their body during pressurized operations

4. Insight into thermal states expected throughout the spacewalk

5. An 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 operation

Polaris Dawn’s spacewalk will be 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.

Polaris Dawn Crew

Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander

Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot

Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist

Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer

Learn more about the Polaris Program:

https://polarisprogram.com

Image Credits: Polaris Program/SpaceX

Duration: 50 seconds

Image Date: Aug. 22, 2024

#NASA #SpaceX #Space #Earth #PolarisDawn #CrewDragonSpacecraft #EVA #Spacewalk #Spacesuits #SpaceTechnology #Astronauts #JaredIsaacman #ScottPoteet #SarahGillis #AnnaMenon #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #SpaceExploration #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #Animation #HD #Video

Uniquely-shaped Galaxy ESO 99-4 in Triangulum Australe | Hubble Space Telescope

Uniquely-shaped Galaxy ESO 99-4 in Triangulum Australe | Hubble Space Telescope

ESO 99-4 is a galaxy with a highly peculiar shape that is probably the remnant of an earlier merger process that has deformed it beyond visual recognition, leaving the main body largely obscured by dark bands of dust. ESO 99-4 lies in a rich field of foreground stars, in the constellation of Triangulum Australe, the Southern Triangle, about 400 million light-years away.

This image is part of a large collection of 59 images of merging galaxies taken by the Hubble Space Telescope and released on the occasion of its 18th anniversary on April 24, 2008.

Credit: NASA, European Space Agency (ESA), the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble Collaboration and A. Evans (University of Virginia, Charlottesville/NRAO/Stony Brook University)

Release Date: April 24, 2008

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Hubble #Stars #Galaxies #Galaxy #ESO994 #InteractingGalaxies #TriangulumAustrale #Constellation #Cosmos #Universe #HST #SpaceTelescope #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education

Polaris Dawn Mission: SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket & Crew Dragon at Launchpad

Polaris Dawn Mission: SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket & Crew Dragon at Launchpad

Polaris Mission Patch

On Aug. 24, 2024, the Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft for the Polaris Dawn Mission was made vertical at Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) located at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida. The Dragon spacecraft supporting this mission previously flew Crew-1 to and from the International Space Station, and Inspiration4, the first all-civilian mission to orbit. This will be the fourth flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Crew-8 and two Starlink missions. Following stage separation, Falcon 9’s first stage will land on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. Launch is expected no earlier than Aug. 27, 2024.

The Polaris Program is a planned human spaceflight program organized by businessman and commercial astronaut Jared Isaacman. Isaacman, who commanded the first all-civilian spaceflight— Inspiration4—in September 2021, purchased flights from SpaceX in order to create the Polaris Program.

The Polaris Dawn Mission will fly a specially-modified SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft higher than any mission to date since the Apollo program, endeavoring to reach the highest Earth orbit ever flown at approximately 700 kilometers above the Earth. Orbiting through portions of the Van Allen radiation belt, Polaris Dawn will conduct research with the aim of better understanding the effects of spaceflight and space radiation on human health, while testing laser-based communications.

The Polaris Dawn crew is preparing for the mission’s "first commercial spacewalk". This extravehicular activity (EVA) will be the final test 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."

The goals of the spacesuit tests are: 

1. Familiarization with how the spacesuit performs in a vacuum

2. Collection of spacesuit and biometric data to assess the overall system’s performance in a flight-like environment

3. Understanding of general impacts of pressure changes on their body during pressurized operations

4. Insight into thermal states expected throughout the spacewalk

5. An 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 operation

Polaris Dawn’s spacewalk will be 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.

Polaris Dawn Crew

Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander

Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot

Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist

Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer

Learn more about the Polaris Program:

https://polarisprogram.com

Image Credits: Polaris Program/SpaceX

Image Date: Aug. 24, 2024

#NASA #SpaceX #Space #Earth #PolarisDawn #CrewDragonSpacecraft #Falcon9Rocket #EVA #Spacewalk #Spacesuits #SpaceTechnology #Astronauts #JaredIsaacman #ScottPoteet #SarahGillis #AnnaMenon #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #SpaceExploration #KSC #LC39A #MerrittIsland #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

The Cat’s Paw Nebula: NGC 6334 in Scorpius | Victor Blanco Telescope

The Cat’s Paw Nebula: NGC 6334 in Scorpius | Victor Blanco Telescope

This image of emission nebula NGC 6334 (the Cat’s Paw Nebula), a star-forming region in the constellation Scorpius, was taken in 2007 using the Mosaic-2 imager on the Blanco 4-meter telescope at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO). The colors of the nebula are reddened by intervening dust in the plane of the Milky Way galaxy. The image was taken as part of a continuing campaign of public-release images using both National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) 4-meter telescopes.

The 4-meter Víctor M. Blanco Telescope was commissioned in 1974. It is a near twin of the Mayall 4-meter telescope on Kitt Peak. In 1995, it was dedicated and named in honor of Puerto Rican astronomer Víctor Manuel Blanco. It is also part of the Dark Energy Survey (DES), a visible and near-infrared survey that aims to probe the dynamics of the expansion of the Universe.

Víctor M. Blanco Telescope:

https://noirlab.edu/science/programs/ctio/telescopes/victor-blanco-4m-telescope

Credit: T.A. Rector/University of Alaska Anchorage, T. Abbott and NOIRLab/NSF/AURA

Release Date: June 30, 2020

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Nebulae #Nebula #CatsPawNebula #NGC6334 #Scorpius #Constellation #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #VictorBlancoTelescope #DECam #CTIO #CerroTololo #Chile #NOIRLab #NSF #AURA #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education

Polaris Dawn Mission SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Rollout & Pre-launch Briefing

Polaris Dawn Mission SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Rollout & Pre-launch Briefing

From left to right: Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot, Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer, Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist, Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander

From left to right: Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer, Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot, Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander, Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist

Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist

Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer

Jared "Rook" Isaacman - Mission Commander

Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot

Polaris Dawn Mission Overview Briefing | From left to right: SpaceX vice president Bill Gerstenmaier (a former NASA official responsible for the agency’s human spaceflight programs), Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander, Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer, Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot, Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist 

Polaris Dawn Crew Leave for NASA's Kennedy Space Center

From left to right: Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer, Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist, Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot, Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander

The Polaris Program is a planned human spaceflight program organized by businessman and commercial astronaut Jared Isaacman. Isaacman, who commanded the first all-civilian spaceflight— Inspiration4—in September 2021, purchased flights from SpaceX in order to create the Polaris Program.

The Polaris Dawn Mission will fly a specially-modified SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft higher than any mission to date since the Apollo program, endeavoring to reach the highest Earth orbit ever flown at approximately 700 kilometers above the Earth. Orbiting through portions of the Van Allen radiation belt, Polaris Dawn will conduct research with the aim of better understanding the effects of spaceflight and space radiation on human health, while testing laser-based communications.

The Polaris Dawn crew is preparing for the mission’s "first commercial spacewalk". This extravehicular activity (EVA) will be the final test for SpaceX’s newly-developed EVA spacesuit. Launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft is expected no earlier than Aug. 27, 2024. 

"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."

The goals of the spacesuit tests are: 

1. Familiarization with how the spacesuit performs in a vacuum

2. Collection of spacesuit and biometric data to assess the overall system’s performance in a flight-like environment

3. Understanding of general impacts of pressure changes on their body during pressurized operations

4. Insight into thermal states expected throughout the spacewalk

5. An 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 operation

Polaris Dawn’s spacewalk will be 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.

Polaris Dawn Crew

Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander

Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot

Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist

Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer

Learn more about the Polaris Program:

https://polarisprogram.com

Image Credits: Polaris Program/SpaceX

Release Dates: Aug. 19-23, 2024

#NASA #SpaceX #Space #Earth #PolarisDawn #CrewDragonSpacecraft #FalconRocket #EVA #Spacewalk #Spacesuits #SpaceTechnology #Astronauts #JaredIsaacman #ScottPoteet #SarahGillis #AnnaMenon #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #SpaceExploration #KSC #LC39A #MerrittIsland #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Polaris Dawn Mission SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket & Crew Dragon Pre-launch

Polaris Dawn Mission SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket & Crew Dragon Pre-launch

SpaceX Falcon 9 & specially modified Crew Dragon spacecraft

SpaceX Falcon 9 & specially modified Crew Dragon spacecraft

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket moving to Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) located at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida

Polaris Dawn crew signing Falcon 9 booster

Crew Dragon training at SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California | From left to right: Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer, Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot, Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander, Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist

Polaris Mission Patch

The Polaris Program is a planned human spaceflight program organized by businessman and commercial astronaut Jared Isaacman. Isaacman, who commanded the first all-civilian spaceflight— Inspiration4—in September 2021, purchased flights from SpaceX in order to create the Polaris Program.

The Polaris Dawn Mission will fly a specially-modified SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft higher than any mission to date since the Apollo program, endeavoring to reach the highest Earth orbit ever flown at approximately 700 kilometers above the Earth. Orbiting through portions of the Van Allen radiation belt, Polaris Dawn will conduct research with the aim of better understanding the effects of spaceflight and space radiation on human health, while testing laser-based communications.

The Polaris Dawn crew is preparing for the mission’s "first commercial spacewalk". This extravehicular activity (EVA) will be the final test for SpaceX’s newly-developed EVA spacesuit. Launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft is expected no earlier than Aug. 27, 2024. 

"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."

The goals of the spacesuit tests are: 

1. Familiarization with how the spacesuit performs in a vacuum

2. Collection of spacesuit and biometric data to assess the overall system’s performance in a flight-like environment

3. Understanding of general impacts of pressure changes on their body during pressurized operations

4. Insight into thermal states expected throughout the spacewalk

5. An 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 operation

Polaris Dawn’s spacewalk will be 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.

Polaris Dawn Crew

Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander

Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot

Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist

Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer

Learn more about the Polaris Program:

https://polarisprogram.com

Image Credits: Polaris Program/SpaceX

Release Dates: Feb. 2022-Aug. 23, 2024

#NASA #SpaceX #Space #Earth #PolarisDawn #CrewDragonSpacecraft #FalconRocket #EVA #Spacewalk #Spacesuits #SpaceTechnology #Astronauts #JaredIsaacman #ScottPoteet #SarahGillis #AnnaMenon #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #SpaceExploration #KSC #LC39A #MerrittIsland #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Polaris Dawn Crew: Ready for SpaceX Launch & First Commercial Spacewalk

Polaris Dawn Crew: Ready for SpaceX Launch & First Commercial Spacewalk

Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist

Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer

Jared "Rook" Isaacman - Mission Commander

Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot

From left to right: Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander, Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist, Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer, Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot

From left to right: Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander, Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer, Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist, Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot

From left to right: Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander, Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist, Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer, Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot

From left to right: Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander, Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer, Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist, Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot

The Polaris Program is a planned human spaceflight program organized by businessman and commercial astronaut Jared Isaacman. Isaacman, who commanded the first all-civilian spaceflight— Inspiration4—in September 2021, purchased flights from SpaceX in order to create the Polaris Program.

This Dragon mission will fly higher than any mission to date since the Apollo program, endeavoring to reach the highest Earth orbit ever flown at approximately 700 kilometers above the Earth. Orbiting through portions of the Van Allen radiation belt, Polaris Dawn will conduct research with the aim of better understanding the effects of spaceflight and space radiation on human health, while testing laser-based communications.

The Polaris Dawn crew is preparing for the mission’s "first commercial spacewalk". This extravehicular activity (EVA) will be the final test for SpaceX’s newly-developed EVA spacesuit. Launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft is expected no earlier than Aug. 27, 2024. 

"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."

The goals of the spacesuit tests are: 

1. Familiarization with how the spacesuit performs in a vacuum

2. Collection of spacesuit and biometric data to assess the overall system’s performance in a flight-like environment

3. Understanding of general impacts of pressure changes on their body during pressurized operations

4. Insight into thermal states expected throughout the spacewalk

5. An 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 operation

Polaris Dawn’s spacewalk will be 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.

Polaris Dawn Crew

Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander

Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot

Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist

Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer

Learn more about the Polaris Program:

https://polarisprogram.com

Image Credits: Polaris Program/SpaceX

Release Dates: Aug. 7-23, 2024

#NASA #SpaceX #Space #Earth #PolarisDawn #CrewDragonSpacecraft #FalconRocket #EVA #Spacewalk #Spacesuits #SpaceTechnology #Astronauts #JaredIsaacman #ScottPoteet #SarahGillis #AnnaMenon #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #SpaceExploration #KSC #LC39A #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education