SpaceX's first commercial spacewalk mission will begin on August 26, 2024

On August 19, CNN introduced that SpaceX has determined the execution schedule for its first commercial spacewalk mission. It is expected that on August 26, SpaceX's crewed Dragon spacecraft will carry four astronauts on a space trip codenamed "Polaris Dawn". In five days, they will complete a series of tests in an orbit about 1,400 kilometers from the earth.

SpaceX's first commercial spacewalk for humans is about to begin. The items to be tested are not the only things that attract attention in this mission. The special extravehicular spacesuits worn by American astronauts are also of concern. Since the development progress of NASA's new generation of extravehicular spacesuits for the "Artemis" manned lunar landing program is seriously lagging behind, SpaceX's developed extravehicular spacesuit may become an alternative.

According to CNBC's website, the "Polaris Dawn" mission was announced in 2022. It is mainly initiated by American billionaire Jared Isaacman and aims to "break through SpaceX's technical limits and pave the way for the long-term presence of humans in space." This mission includes the first commercial spacewalk, a research plan on human health in space, and a test of equipping spacecraft with "Starlink" internet communication. It will also reach a high orbit more than 1,400 kilometers above the earth. This is the farthest orbit from the earth for humans since the "Apollo" era. SpaceX CEO Musk said on the 19th that "this will be an epic feat" and described this mission as "an early pioneer in the interstellar era." If the project progresses smoothly, in the future, relying on related technologies, hundreds of people will be sent to Earth orbit, the moon and even Mars.

During a spacewalk, astronauts need to resist the radiation from high-energy particles in space, extreme temperature changes and the impact of micrometeorites. At the same time, they must ensure a certain degree of freedom of movement, which makes the development of extravehicular spacesuits extremely difficult. The special extravehicular spacesuit developed by SpaceX will be tested for the first time in this mission. Compared with the old-fashioned extravehicular spacesuit used on the International Space Station, SpaceX's new extravehicular spacesuit is lighter, more flexible and more modern. The main body of the spacesuit borrows the new thermal management fabric and flame-retardant materials used on the Falcon rocket and the Dragon spacecraft. The finger, shoulder and elbow joints move more smoothly and have a smaller range of motion restrictions. The polycarbonate helmet uses 3D printing technology. The mask is equipped with an anti-glare and anti-fog coating. The head-up display built into the helmet will provide real-time pressure, temperature and relative humidity readings. However, unlike the extravehicular spacesuit currently used on the International Space Station, the spacesuit used in the "Polaris Dawn" mission is not equipped with a bulky life support system. Instead, it obtains oxygen support through a long hose connected to the spacecraft. This means that astronauts participating in this mission cannot walk around as freely as their counterparts on the International Space Station.

In addition, there are other challenges and risks in this commercial spacewalk mission. For example, the mission will be carried out in an orbit about 1,400 kilometers from the earth. This is the farthest orbit from the earth for humans since the "Apollo" era. The spacecraft will pass through the Van Allen radiation belt, which is filled with high-energy particles captured by the earth's magnetic field, posing a severe test to the spacecraft's radiation resistance performance.

Despite the challenges, this commercial spacewalk mission and the test of the new extravehicular spacesuit still have important significance. If the mission progresses smoothly and the extravehicular spacesuit performs well, it may provide valuable experience and technical foundation for future commercial space exploration, space tourism and more extensive space missions, promoting the development of the field of space exploration. At the same time, it will also provide direction and data support for the subsequent research and development and improvement of extravehicular spacesuits.