Polaris Dawn crew training for epic SpaceX mission this fall
mission in 1972 — much higher than any crewed Dragon launches have attained to date. Now, more details have been released about the Polaris Dawn mission and how the crewmembers are training for it.capsule carrying Isaacman and his three crewmates will lift off atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Pushing the rocket to the edge of its capabilities, the Falcon 9 will fly the spacecraft to an initial elliptical orbit of 745 miles by 118 miles . The Dragon will then raise its apogee to 870 miles using its Draco thrusters. The spacecraft will remain in that elliptical orbit for a spell, then lower its apogee to 435 miles . For context, theThe Polaris Dawn crew. Left to right: Anna Menon, Scott"Kidd" Poteet, Jared Isaacman and Sarah Gillis.