Billionaire Jared Isaacman, who funded a mission to orbit the Earth in 2021, has now initiated a new and riskier private mission called Polaris Dawn.
Polaris Dawn crew members PHOTO: polarisprogram.com
After demonstrating in the previous mission, Inspiration4, that people from diverse backgrounds can train and execute a space mission, Isaacman and his team are preparing for a more complex experimental expedition, according to CNN.
The Polaris Dawn mission will begin on August 26 and involves a five-day journey where the team will reach higher altitudes than any other human mission in NASA’s Apollo program, including passing through a radiation belt. The team will also open the hatch of the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule and experience the vacuum of space for the first time by non-government astronauts.
Isaacman, who is also the founder of Shift4 and an airline pilot, aims to advance space technology and contribute to the development of new equipment, exposing himself to the risks of this mission. Polaris Dawn is the first in a series of three test and development missions under the Polaris Program, aimed at validating technologies needed for future space exploration.
The mission will include a roughly 45-hour “pre-breathing” process to prepare the team for space and will involve significant risks, including exposure to radiation and toxins. Although the team is well prepared, every mission of this type comes with considerable risks and technical challenges.
Jared Isaacman is CEO of Shift4 (NYSE: FOUR), a leader in integrated payment processing solutions. He is an accomplished pilot and astronaut with over 7,000 flight hours of aviation experience, including ratings in several experimental and ex-military aircraft. He was the commander of Inspiration4, the world’s first civilian mission to space, which helped raise more than $240 million for the Children’s Research Hospital St. Jude® to help eradicate childhood cancer.
Jared also holds several world records, including two speed flights around the world in 2008 and 2009. He has flown in over 100 air shows as part of the Black Diamond Jet Team, dedicating each show to charitable causes. In 2011, Isaacman co-founded what would become the world’s largest private air force, Draken International, to train pilots for the United States Armed Forces.
