Polaris Dawn crew 1 week before launch
In a week, the four private astronauts of SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn mission will launch after two years of training for a mission that will hopefully include the world’s first private spacewalk.
American billionaire Jared Isaacman, who previously co-financed his private Inspiration4 space flight with SpaceX, will take command of the Polaris Dawn mission, the first of three new space flights he has purchased from SpaceX.
Isaacman, pilot Scott “Kidd” Poteet and mission specialists Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon, both senior aerospace engineers at SpaceX, reached their launch site at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on August 19. Launch is scheduled for August 26 at 3:38 a.m. EDT (07:38 GMT)..
The mission, announced for 2022, is expected to test new spacesuits for SpaceX during a planned two-hour spacewalk during the five-day mission. On August 19, the crew spoke to reporters about their upcoming mission.
Read all about it in our wrap story heree by Josh Dinner of Space.com.
Doritos flies into space with Polaris Dawn
The Polaris Dawn will have some brand new snacks in space when it launches aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Resilience on August 26.
Doritos is flying a brand new variety of space-grade Zero Gravity Cool Ranch Doritos chips during the private space flight. The limited-edition flavor is available online and features an oil-based coating that prevents Doritos’ classic powdered topping from floating away in zero gravity.
“The limitless possibilities of space have inspired us to push the boundaries of what is possible,” said Chris Bellinger, chief creative officer of PepsiCo Foods North America, in a statement. “This mission is a testament to our commitment to delivering bold experiences and flavors in even the most unexpected places.”
You can read more about the new space Doritos in our full story by Robert Pearlman of collectSPACE.com.
