Polaris Dawn crew shows off new SpaceX spacesuits for first private spacewalk (photos)

By | July 20, 2024
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A figure in a clean white spacesuit sits strapped into a black bucket seat, with the image looking up from the blurred knee in the left foreground. Above left, a gloved hand with black-tipped fingers holds a component against the dark wall of a spacecraft. The full-face visor near the top center right of the helmet reflects a copper glow. Behind, white walls and pipes.

EVA spacesuit acceptance testing. | Source: Polaris Program / John Kraus

The first private spacewalk in history will bring serious style to space.

SpaceX’s privately funded crewed mission, Polaris Dawn, is on track for a launch this summer. The four-person crew, including the mission’s funder, billionaire philanthropist Jared Isaacman, recently completed acceptance tests for SpaceX’s new extravehicular activity (EVA) space suits, which they will wear when they become the first private citizens to spacewalk in orbit.

In addition to Isaacman, the crew includes two SpaceX mission specialists, Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon, two chief operations engineers, and the mission pilot, retired United States Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Scott “Kidd” Poteet. Their training for the upcoming mission includes developing SpaceX’s new EVA suit, which recently reached its final major developmental milestone test when the crew donned the suits for the first time in a vacuum.

“The Polaris Dawn crew recently completed a series of spacesuit acceptance tests in preparation for the mission’s extraterrestrial activities,” reads an update on the mission website. Wearing the EVA suits for the first time in a vacuum allowed SpaceX to collect a range of different data ahead of the crew’s upcoming mission, where they will wear the suits in the vacuum of space.

According to the Polaris website, the vacuum environment allowed SpaceX to collect a range of data on what to expect during a real EVA:

  • “Familiarity with how a spacesuit performs in a vacuum;

  • Collection of spacesuit and biometric data to evaluate overall system performance in a flight-like environment;

  • Understanding of the general effects of pressure changes on the body during pressure operations;

  • Insight into the various thermal conditions expected during the spacewalk; and

  • “A period of elevated metabolic activity to simulate the crew’s expected workload during a spacewalk, and a period of reduced activity to understand how body temperatures trend throughout the operation.”

Two astronauts, one in the foreground and one in the background, both facing left, are reclining in white and black bucket suits and white space suits.Two astronauts, one in the foreground and one in the background, both facing left, are reclining in white and black bucket suits and white space suits.

Two astronauts, one in the foreground and one in the background, both facing left, are reclining in white and black bucket suits and white space suits.

A few photos from the test were posted to Polaris Porgram’s Flickr account, showing off SpaceX’s sleek new, yet familiar spacesuit design. Polaris Dawn is a follow-up mission to Inspiration4, SpaceX’s first private astronaut launch, also funded by Isaacman, and is the first of three possible missions for the Polaris Program. Each will help raise money for pediatric cancer research center St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Relating to: SpaceX unveils new EVA suit for first private spacewalk on upcoming Polaris Dawn space flight (video)

Two men in white spacesuits, seen from the chest up. Their copper-colored visors are raised, revealing their faces inside their helmets. They are in a white room, smiling.Two men in white spacesuits, seen from the chest up. Their copper-colored visors are raised, revealing their faces inside their helmets. They are in a white room, smiling.

Two men in white spacesuits, seen from the chest up. Their copper-colored visors are raised, revealing their faces inside their helmets. They are in a white room, smiling.

The first images of SpaceX’s EVA suit, which appears to be a bulkier version of intravehicular activity (IVA) suits — pressure suits worn during spacecraft launch and landing but not designed to operate in the open vacuum of space — were released on the company’s website on May 4.

But new images from Polaris Dawn’s latest tests reveal some differences between the IVA and EVA suits.

A close-up of an astronaut helmet with a white shell extending from left to center of image. A copper-shaded visor runs along the pale interior surface. A white glove with a black tip tests the visor.A close-up of an astronaut helmet with a white shell extending from left to center of image. A copper-shaded visor runs along the pale interior surface. A white glove with a black tip tests the visor.

A close-up of an astronaut helmet with a white shell extending from left to center of image. A copper-shaded visor runs along the pale interior surface. A white glove with a black tip tests the visor.

The suit’s helmet, in particular, has received some upgrades, including a new head-up display for astronauts to view data like their suit’s internal pressure, temperature, and humidity. SpaceX’s EVA suits also feature new insulation materials and joint improvements for increased mobility and temperature control.

Relating to: Meet the four special Polaris Dawn astronauts SpaceX will launch into orbit this year

Two women in white spacesuits, seen from the chest up. Their copper-colored visors are up, their faces padded inside their helmets. They are in a white room, smiling.Two women in white spacesuits, seen from the chest up. Their copper-colored visors are up, their faces padded inside their helmets. They are in a white room, smiling.

Two women in white spacesuits, seen from the chest up. Their copper-colored visors are up, their faces padded inside their helmets. They are in a white room, smiling.

Polaris Dawn is scheduled to last five days and will feature about 40 different science experiments that the crew will conduct while in space, including testing the capabilities of new EVA suits and the Crew Dragon spacecraft while exposed to a vacuum.

According to a July 3 post on X, the Polaris team was targeting a launch date no earlier than July 31 for their historic mission, but after the recent incident during the launch of SpaceX’s Starlink satellites, that date could be quite uncertain.

Two astronauts, one in the foreground looking left and the other in the background looking right, are wearing white space suits and leaning back in their white and black bucket suits.Two astronauts, one in the foreground looking left and the other in the background looking right, are wearing white space suits and leaning back in their white and black bucket suits.

Two astronauts, one in the foreground looking left and the other in the background looking right, are wearing white space suits and leaning back in their white and black bucket suits.

Related Stories:

— Polaris Dawn crew prepares for world’s first private spacewalk with SpaceX

— SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket failure forces NASA to evaluate astronaut launch schedule for ISS

— SpaceX’s private Polaris Dawn space crew talks about their ambitious mission (exclusive)

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying 20 additions to the company’s satellite internet mega-constellation failed to launch on July 11, resulting in the catastrophic loss of the entire payload on the second stage. As a result, all Falcon 9 launches have been suspended pending the results of SpaceX and the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) investigations.

The Falcon 9 grounding could also have implications for NASA’s upcoming missions to the International Space Station (ISS), which was scheduled to launch both a cargo and crewed mission to the space station in the coming months.

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