Polaris Dawn Mission Heats Up, and Boeing is Trying Again

Happy Tuesday, everyone! This week’s newsletter is 693 words, a 5-minute read.

Table of Contents

• 1 Big Thing: SpaceX is Gearing Up for Private Pola …

• 2. Cool Stuff You Might Have Missed

• 3. Boeing will Attempt its Crewed Starliner Test t …

• 4. A Brand-New Space Book

• 5. Upcoming Launches & Missions

1 Big Thing: SpaceX is Gearing Up for Private Polaris Dawn Mission

Last week, I wrote about SpaceX’s newest spacesuits, which will allow astronauts to venture outside their spacecraft into the dark, cold void of space.

Since Then, SpaceX has released more details about its upcoming Polaris Dawn mission, which is slated for this summer.

The Mission: Polaris Dawn will be the first mission featuring an EVA by private astronauts.

EVA What?: EVA stands for Extra-Vehicular Activity. If you’ve ever heard of a spacewalk, that’s technically called an EVA. Astronauts going on an EVA will float around outside their spacecraft to conduct repairs or scientific experiments.

Who’s Going?: The mission is being funded by billionaire Jared Isaacman. He’ll be accompanied by retired US Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Scott Poteet, SpaceX’s Lead Space Operations Engineer Sarah Gillis, and Anna Menon, who served as the Mission Director in SpaceX’s control room.

Not Just for Fun: The Polaris Dawn mission is an incredible milestone on its own, but it’ll also help scientists learn more about space and its effect on the human body. The mission will study venous gas emboli in astronauts - a symptom of decompression sickness - as well as radiation levels, and Spaceflight-Associated Neuro-Ocular Syndrome.

What’s the Point?: Missions like these are incredible milestones on their own, but they’ll also help us tremendously in learning how the human body reacts to spaceflight far away from Earth, paving the way for future missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

2. Cool Stuff You Might Have Missed

1. The Geo-Magnetic Solar Storm continues to leave its mark with auroras all across the globe. (Earth)

2. SpaceX is launching its 50th mission of the year today. (Space)

3. On this day in 1973, NASA launched its SkyLab space station. (Space)

3. Boeing will Attempt its Crewed Starliner Test this Friday, May 17th

After Being Scrubbed for a faulty valve, Boeing’s Starliner launch is back on for this Friday, May 17th.

The Mission will Launch atop a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas 5 Rocket, headed to the International Space Station.

Visiting Friends: The mission’s astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, will dock with the International Space Station, then return to Earth and land in the Western United States.

Something to Prove: Boeing is trying to prove to NASA that it, too, can ferry astronauts to and from the International Space Station - a job that’s been done only by SpaceX for the last 4 years.

Launch Details: The Launch is scheduled for this Friday, May 17th, at 6:16 PM Eastern.

4. A Brand-New Space Book

Today (May 14th, 2024) is an exciting day.

Adam Higginbotham just released his new book, “Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space.”

The Book Tells the fascinating and heartbreaking story of the Space Shuttle Challenger, which broke apart on January 28th, 1986 73 seconds after launch, killing all seven astronauts on board.

I Picked This Up on Kindle today, and I’m so excited to read it. You can check it out here:

5. Upcoming Launches & Missions

SPECIAL EXCITING NEWS: If you refer just 3 friends (used to be 5, now it’s 3) to this newsletter, I’ll send you a free copy of Neil deGrasse Tyson’s A Brief Welcome to the Universe. Use the link below to share and get credit for your referrals!

Thanks as always,

-Michael