Context:
The Polaris Dawn mission aims to revolutionise commercial spaceflight with a high-orbit mission and the first-ever private spacewalk by non-professional astronauts.
Relevance:
GS III: Science and Technology
Polaris Dawn Mission
- Mission Overview: Polaris Dawn, a groundbreaking private space mission led by entrepreneur Jared Isaacman, aims to conduct the first non-governmental spacewalk at an unprecedented altitude of 700 kilometers, surpassing the International Space Station (ISS) which orbits at about 400 kilometers.
- Spacecraft and Record: Utilizing SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule, the mission seeks to break the altitude record set by NASA’s Gemini 11 in 1966, which reached 1,373 kilometers.
The Van Allen Belts
- Composition and Discovery: Comprising charged particles trapped by Earth’s magnetosphere, the Van Allen Belts were discovered in 1958 by James Van Allen. They include an inner belt rich in protons and an outer belt filled with high-energy electrons.
- Radiation Risks: The mission’s spacewalk poses significant radiation exposure, exceeding levels experienced on the ISS, enhancing the risk of radiation sickness and cancer.
Mission Significance
- Navigating Radiation: This mission is crucial for understanding how to traverse the radiation-intense Van Allen Belts, an essential capability for future Mars missions.
- Spacesuit Testing: Astronauts will test advanced SpaceX spacesuits designed to offer protection against the intense radiation of the Van Allen Belts.
Health Research and Innovation
- Biobank Studies: The mission aims to gather data on the effects of space travel on human biology, focusing on issues like Spaceflight-Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome (SANS) and decompression sickness caused by nitrogen gas bubbles in space.
- Communication Technology: Testing of SpaceX’s Starlink laser communications will inform the development of future deep-space communication systems, crucial for extended missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
Future Missions
- Polaris Missions: Led by Isaacman, this series includes multiple missions, with the first designed to last five days and subsequent missions expanding the boundaries of human spaceflight and research.
- Starship Test: The third mission in the Polaris series will feature the inaugural crewed test of SpaceX’s reusable Starship spacecraft, highlighting its potential for future interplanetary travel.
-Source: The Hindu
