SpaceX launched the Polaris Dawn mission for the first civilian spacewalk. The crew will spend up to five days in orbit around Earth. Two members will do a spacewalk on the third day. The whole spacecraft will have no air for about 2 hours during the walk. This is different from other spacewalks. The spacecraft has no airlock like in the 1960s and 1970s. The crew are private civilians, not government astronauts. The mission is risky because the spacesuits are new. Also, they will go further from Earth than anyone since 1972.
The commander of the mission is Jared Isaacman. The crew includes a retired US Air Force pilot and two SpaceX engineers. The spacecraft, Resilience, launched on a Falcon 9 rocket. The rocket’s first stage landed back on Earth. SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsules are also used for other missions, like ferrying astronauts to the International Space Station.
Vocabulary List:
- Mission /ˈmɪʃ.ən/ (noun): An important assignment or task often involving travel and exploration.
- Spacewalk /ˈspeɪs.wɔːk/ (noun): An activity in which an astronaut exits a spacecraft to work in space.
- Orbits /ˈɔː.bɪt/ (noun): The curved path of a celestial object or spacecraft around a star planet or moon.
- Spacecraft /ˈspeɪs.kræft/ (noun): A vehicle designed for travel or operation in outer space.
- Risky /ˈrɪs.ki/ (adjective): Involving danger or the possibility of loss or injury.
- Engineers /ˌen.dʒɪˈnɪrz/ (noun): Professionals who design build or maintain engines machines or structures.
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