Friday, May 1, 2026

First civilian spacewalk launched by SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn mission

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.

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Vocabulary List:
6 words · tap to reveal
ON

Accent

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.

How much do you know?

What is the name of the mission launched by SpaceX for the first civilian spacewalk?
Polaris Dawn
Apollo 13
Voyager 1
Discovery
How many days will the crew spend in orbit around Earth during the mission?
Up to five days
One week
Three days
One month
Why is the spacewalk in this mission different from others?
No air in the spacecraft during the walk
Crew are all government astronauts
Only one crew member doing the spacewalk
The walk will be on the fifth day
Who is the commander of the mission?
Jared Isaacman
Elon Musk
Neil Armstrong
Sally Ride
What is the name of the spacecraft used in this mission?
Resilience
Endurance
Discovery
Perseverance
Which rocket was used to launch the spacecraft for this mission?
Falcon 9
Delta IV
Atlas V
Space Launch System
This question is required

Test Your Understanding

Start Quiz
Vocabulary List:
6 words · tap to reveal
ON
Accent
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.

How much do you know?

What is the name of the mission launched by SpaceX for the first civilian spacewalk?
Polaris Dawn
Apollo 13
Voyager 1
Discovery
How many days will the crew spend in orbit around Earth during the mission?
Up to five days
One week
Three days
One month
Why is the spacewalk in this mission different from others?
No air in the spacecraft during the walk
Crew are all government astronauts
Only one crew member doing the spacewalk
The walk will be on the fifth day
Who is the commander of the mission?
Jared Isaacman
Elon Musk
Neil Armstrong
Sally Ride
What is the name of the spacecraft used in this mission?
Resilience
Endurance
Discovery
Perseverance
Which rocket was used to launch the spacecraft for this mission?
Falcon 9
Delta IV
Atlas V
Space Launch System
This question is required

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