A SpaceX spacecraft carrying four individuals, including a billionaire set to attempt the first-ever spacewalk by a civilian, was launched into space at 5:23 a.m. on September 10 from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The Crew Dragon spacecraft, known as Polaris Dawn, was lifted off by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. This mission, which signifies a new dawn in space exploration, is a collaborative effort, with the costs split between the billionaire and SpaceX. The crew consists of billionaire Jared Isaacman, two SpaceX engineers, and a retired U.S. Air Force pilot, marking the first attempt at a spacewalk by non-professional astronauts. However, this spacewalk will involve stepping outside the capsule's hatch while still remaining tethered to it, rather than venturing into the open expanse of space. Despite this, they will be the first civilians to step into the vastness beyond the spacecraft's interior.

The crew will attempt a spacewalk at an unprecedented distance, flying 1,400 kilometers beyond the International Space Station (ISS), which orbits 410 kilometers above Earth. This region, known as the Van Allen belts, has only been traversed by 24 American astronauts who flew to the Moon. The four civilians aboard the Crew Dragon are scheduled to attempt their spacewalk around September 12, the midpoint of their five-day mission. SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket, which successfully achieved its first reuse in 2017, will be used for this mission, and the Crew Dragon capsule is also being reused. SpaceX, founded by Elon Musk, launched its first crewed spacecraft from American soil in May 2020, marking the debut of the Crew Dragon capsule. This mission will be the tenth flight for this spacecraft. Furthermore, any spacecraft that ventures beyond 80-100 kilometers above Earth's surface is considered to be in space, regardless of the control over the spacecraft. Therefore, the civilians undertaking this historic spacewalk, as well as those who have participated in the 100-minute low-Earth orbit flights that began two years ago, are all recognized as astronauts.

(The DONG-A ILBO, September 10, 2024)