SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn mission was a big step for private space travel. It included the first spacewalk done by non-government astronauts. Unlike the ISS, SpaceX’s craft didn’t have an airlock, so the crew had to let out all the air before going into space.
Although this seems simple compared to what NASA has done before, it was new for SpaceX. The spacewalk, on September 12, tested new suits and how the crew’s health is affected by space travel. The EVA critics say it wasn’t a real spacewalk because the crew didn’t fully leave the capsule.
Despite this, it’s a big achievement for SpaceX. The crew will now be studied to see how their bodies reacted in space. This mission shows that private companies like SpaceX are getting closer to doing what only government space agencies could do before.
The spacecraft will soon return to Earth, and more private space missions are likely in the future.
Vocabulary List:
- Spacewalk /ˈspeɪsˌwɔːk/ (noun): The act of leaving a spacecraft to work in space.
- Airlock /ˈɛr.lɒk/ (noun): A sealed chamber that allows astronauts to move between the interior of a spacecraft and the vacuum of space without losing pressure.
- Achievement /əˈtʃiːv.mənt/ (noun): A thing done successfully with effort skill or courage.
- Mission /ˈmɪʃ.ən/ (noun): An important assignment carried out for political religious or commercial purposes.
- Critics /ˈkrɪtɪks/ (noun): People who express an unfavorable opinion of something.
- Reacted /riˈæktɪd/ (verb): Responded to something in a particular way.
How much do you know?
What was a significant achievement of SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn mission?
Why did the crew of SpaceX’s craft have to let out all the air before going into space?
What was the main focus of the spacewalk on the Polaris Dawn mission?
Why do EVA critics claim the spacewalk on the Polaris Dawn mission was not a real spacewalk?
What will happen to the crew of the Polaris Dawn mission now that they have returned?
What does the success of SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn mission indicate?
