Polaris
Program overview
CountryUnited States
OrganizationSpaceX
StatusPlanned
Program history
Duration2022–present
Launch site(s)
Vehicle information
Crewed vehicle(s)
Launch vehicle(s)

The Polaris Program is a planned human spaceflight program organized by businessman and commercial astronaut Jared Isaacman.[1] Isaacman, who commanded the first all-civilian spaceflight—Inspiration4—in September 2021, purchased flights from SpaceX in order to create the Polaris Program. The first two flights will use the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, while the third flight is planned to be the first crewed Starship flight.[1][2] Polaris Dawn, the first flight, will attempt the first private spacewalk.[3]

NASA and SpaceX signed in September 2022 with the Polaris program an unfunded Space Act Agreement to study the feasibility of a SpaceX and Polaris Program mission to boost the Hubble Space Telescope into a higher orbit with the Crew Dragon.[4]

Flights

Polaris program planned flights
Mission Name Launch Date Launch Vehicle Spacecraft Orbit Crew
Polaris Dawn (Mission I) NET Summer 2024[5][6] Falcon 9 Block 5 Crew Dragon Resilience LEO, 1400 km max altitude[7]
Mission II TBA Falcon 9 Block 5 Crew Dragon TBA United States Jared Isaacman
others TBA
Mission III TBA Starship launch vehicle Starship spacecraft TBA United States Jared Isaacman
others TBA

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Sheetz, Michael (14 February 2022). "Billionaire astronaut Jared Isaacman buys more private SpaceX flights, including one on Starship". CNBC. CNBC. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
  2. ^ Davenport, Christian. "Jared Isaacman, who led the first all-private astronaut mission to orbit, has commissioned 3 more flights from SpaceX". Washington Post. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
  3. ^ Foust, Jeff (2022-08-01). "December launch planned for Polaris Dawn". SpaceNews. Retrieved 2022-08-03.
  4. ^ NASA, SpaceX to Study Hubble Telescope Reboost Possibility
  5. ^ Foust, Jeff (11 December 2023). "Polaris Dawn rescheduled for April". SpaceNews. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  6. ^ "Polaris Dawn". Polaris Program. Retrieved 2024-02-09.
  7. ^ Foust, Jeff (11 December 2023). "Polaris Dawn rescheduled for April". SpaceNews. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
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