Jared Isaacman announces SpaceX Polaris programme, 1st crewed Starship launch

Billionaire Jared Isaacman, who was part of SpaceX's first private mission - Inspiration4 - in 2021, announced the Polaris programme in an effort to 'rapidly advance human spaceflight capabilities'. The founder of payments company Shift4 will be flying again with SpaceX under the Polaris Dawn human spaceflight mission which is targeted for launch no earlier than the fourth quarter of 2022. Accompanying Issacman will be Scott “Kidd” Poteet, a veteran member of Jared’s team along with two SpaceX employees- Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon. It is worth noting, that the third mission under the programme would be the first crewed flight of the futuristic Starship. 

Introducing the Polaris program

The Polaris Dawn would be the first of three human spaceflights missions under the Polaris programme which, according to Issacman, "is an important step in advancing human space exploration while helping to solve problems through the use of innovative technology here on Earth". Under the first flight, which would be commanded by Issacman, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft will spend five days in orbit for the astronauts to conduct the first-ever commercial spacewalk wearing SpaceX spacesuits.

(Anna Menon, Scott Poteet, Jared Isaacman, and Sarah Gillis (left to right); Image: Polaris Program/John Kraus)

Moreover, the mission would also include testing the first-ever Starlink laser-based communications system and scientific research on human health both on Earth and during spaceflights. With Isaacman serving as the mission commander, Poteet would serve as the pilot while Gillis and Menon have been selected as mission specialists, with the former being responsible for overseeing the company’s astronaut training programme. The Dawn crew would board the Dragon spacecraft for the five-day-long mission at the Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. 

The similarity between Inspiration4 and the Polaris

The Inspiration4 mission, which was launched on September 15 as the first all-civilian flight, aimed to raise $200 million (over Rs 1,512.48 crore) for the St Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Lasting a total of three days, the astronauts through this mission were able to raise over $240 million. The Polaris programme promises to build upon the Inspiration4 mission as it aims to keep raising funds and awareness for St. Jude's. 

(Image: @PolarisProgram/Twitter)