The Polaris Dawn mission by SpaceX has achieved a historic milestone in commercial spaceflight, despite facing technical difficulties. On September 10, the Crew Dragon capsule, piloted by a team of four led by entrepreneur Jared Isaacman, reached a record orbital altitude of 1,400 kilometers above Earth. This marks a new high for crewed missions in low Earth orbit.
Two days later, on September 12, the mission conducted the world's first private spacewalk, involving Isaacman and another crew member. This event paves the way for new opportunities in commercial space travel.
However, recent reports from Reuters indicate that the mission encountered technical issues. A power outage at SpaceX's California facility led to a temporary loss of control over the capsule by the flight control team. Although the incident was brief, it raised significant concerns among experts, as the ground team's primary role is to respond swiftly to emergencies, and such disruptions undermine confidence in the safety of commercial spaceflights.
As a private company, SpaceX has not publicly disclosed details about this issue. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) oversees safety on Earth but does not regulate passenger protection on private missions due to a moratorium passed by Congress in 2004, which allows the private sector to grow without excessive regulation. Consequently, the Polaris Dawn crew was not subject to the same safety protocols as those applied to government missions.
According to additional sources from Reuters, SpaceX admitted to NASA about the temporary loss of control during the Polaris Dawn mission. Despite this, the company remains a reliable partner for NASA, providing transportation for astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). SpaceX has successfully completed nine missions to the ISS; however, in November, NASA urged the company to enhance its focus on crew safety in commercial flights, as the increasing frequency of space launches necessitates stricter oversight of potential risks.
Despite the incident, the Polaris Dawn mission showcases the immense potential of private space travel. It opens the door to new technologies and opportunities, while also underscoring the need for improved safety standards. In the future, the integration of the private sector into national space programs should be accompanied by enhanced regulation to prevent similar issues.
Previously, we reported on how vision deteriorated for one of the crew members during the Polaris Dawn flight.