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SpaceX Polaris Dawn Update · Elon Musk Podcast

• 0:01
  Hey everybody, welcome back to the Elon Musk Podcast.
• 0:05
  This is a show where we discuss the critical crossroads that
• 0:08
  shape SpaceX, Tesla X, The Boring Company, and Neuralink,
• 0:13
  and I'm your host, Will Walden. If you want uninterrupted
• 0:17
  episodes of the Elon Musk podcast, please go to
• 0:20
  clubelon.supercast.com to find out how there's a link in the
• 0:26
  show notes. So the Polaris Dawn mission,
• 0:28
  which is poised to conduct the first ever private spacewalk,
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  has seen its launch timeline push back a little bit to the
• 0:35
  summer of 2024. This delay, which announced by
• 0:38
  the mission's organizers, extends the preparation period
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  to ensure that the mission's goals are met with safety.
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  Now Polaris Dawn, which is an integral part of the whole
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  Polaris program. They have 3 launches coming up,
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  and it's all spearheaded by billionaire Jared Isaacman.
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  And he aims to push the boundaries of private space
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  exploration through a series of pioneering initiatives,
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  including testing Spacex's Starlink Internet service in
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  space and conducting various scientific experiments.
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  And this mission will utilize Spacex's tried and tested
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  hardware, launching 4 individuals into Earth's orbit
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  aboard the Crew Dragon capsule, propelled by a Falcon 9 rocket.
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  The crew comprises Polaris program founder Jared Isaacman,
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  retired US Air Force Colonel Scott Petit, SpaceX employee
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  Sarah Gillis and Anna Menin. The roles are clearly defined
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  with Isaac Mann at the helm as the Commander, Petite as the
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  pilot, and Gillis and men and serving as payload specialist
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  and medical officer respectively.
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  Now, during his journey, the Polaris Dawn mission is set to
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  last up to five days in orbit, operating independently without
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  docking at the International Space Station.
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  This approach mirrors the methodology of the inspiration
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  for mission, also led by Isaac Mann in September of 2021.
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  Now, moreover, the mission continues to philanthropic
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  spirit of the predecessors by raising funds for Saint Jude's
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  Children Research Hospital in Memphis.
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  And this mission marks just the beginning of the broader Polaris
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  program, which has its sights set on escalating the
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  capabilities of private spaceflight.
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  Now Isaac Mann has expressed intentions to utilize Spacex's
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  next generation Starship rocket for future Polaris missions,
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  mainly Polaris 3. Now the launch is scheduled to
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  take place from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39 A, a
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  site steeped in space history, and the Crew Dragon, along with
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  the Polaris Dawn crew aims to reach unprecedented heights,
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  venturing into the highest Earth orbit any Dragon mission has
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  ever attempted, and even pushing the boundaries to achieve the
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  highest orbit ever flown by a crude spacecraft.
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  Now, one of the mission's hallmark objectives using SpaceX
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  design space suits this significant endeavor is not just
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  about the milestone, but also about testing and refining the
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  spacesuit technology for future long duration missions,
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  including potential lunar bases and also Martian cities.
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  And the scientific agenda of Playrist ON is comprehensive,
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  focusing on understanding the impact of spaceflight and
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  radiation on human health. From monitoring Venice Gas
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  Emboli using ultrasound to studying the radiation
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  environment and its effects on biological systems, these
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  investigations will contribute valuable insights into the
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  challenges of long duration spaceflight.
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  Now the Missions Research collaboration spanned multiple
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  esteemed institutions including the Translational Research
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  Institute for Space Health, Bioserve Space Technologies at
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  the University of Colorado Boulder, and many others.
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  And with this collaboration they're trying to advance space
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  health research and leverage the unique environment of space to
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  gain insights that benefit humanity both on and off planet.
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  Now the novel aspect of Playerstone is its plan to test
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  Starlink's laser based communications in space.
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  This test is crucial for developing robust space
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  communication systems, essential for future missions to our
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  closest neighbor, the Moon to Mars and also beyond.
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  Highlighting the mission's role in addressing the practical
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  challenges of deep space exploration at the core of the
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  Polaris Dawn mission is Jared Isekman, a figure synonymous
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  with private space exploration. Isaacman's extensive experience
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  as a pilot and astronaut, combined with his philanthropic
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  endeavors and record setting flights, positions him as a
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  leading figure in the space community.
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  His leadership in the inspiration for mission and his
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  commitment to advancing human spaceflight capabilities through
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  the Polaris program reflect his dedication to both exploration
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  and also humanitarian causes. Now, the Polaris program, named
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  after our North Star, symbolizes guidance and exploration and
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  encapsulates a vision to leverage human spaceflight
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  missions to foster technological advancements, conduct meaningful
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  research, and support noble causes on Earth.
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  The program's trajectory includes not just Polaris Dawn,
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  but two additional missions, each building on the successes
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  and learnings of the previous ones.
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  Now, the culmination of this series is anticipated to be a
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  manned flight aboard Spacex's Starship, setting the stage for
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  the next era of space exploration and the delay to the
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  Polaris Dawn mission. First one, while a set back
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  provides additional time for thorough preparations and
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  testing, ensuring that the mission's ambitious objectives
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  can be safely and effectively achieved for everybody on board.
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  Now, of course they have to be safe.
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  When we have 4 astronauts on board, a Falcon Nine, and a Crew
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  Dragon capsule, it's Parano. The readiness is meticulous, and
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  the integration of Spacex's hardware and technology in a
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  Polaris Dawn mission shows that SpaceX is ready and willing to
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  take private space to the next level.
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  Now the upcoming test flight of Spacex's Starship mentioned in
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  the context of Polaris programs future mission shows that SpaceX
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  is also working hard to get Starship ready for the Polaris
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  program. The forward-looking nature of
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  these initiatives aim to expand the horizons of human
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  spaceflight. Now Polaris is about
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  exploration. It's about scientific research,
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  it's about philanthropy, and it's about the ever revolving
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  nature of space missions and private astronauts in the modern
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  era. And by combining the spirit of
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  adventure that we all have with the commitment to contributing
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  to human knowledge and welfare, missions like Polaris Dawn are
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  redefining a new paradigm in space exploration.
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  Now, Polaris Dawn mission is a huge step.
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  If this happens, it'll show that normal people like you and me
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  can become astronauts. We can go to orbit, We could
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  possibly even do a space walk. With some training, we can do
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  some scientific research. And also we can help out people
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  back here on Earth with philanthropy.
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  It's delayed right now. The player stawn mission is
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  delayed right now. But the mission's comprehensive
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  objectives and collaboration with leading institutions show
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  that there's a potential to contribute significantly to our
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  understanding of space and its impact on human health.
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  Will also testing critical technology for future
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  exploration efforts. Hey, thank you so much for
• 7:04
  listening today. I really do appreciate your
• 7:06
  support. If you could take a second and
• 7:08
  hit the subscribe or the follow button on whatever podcast
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  appreciate it. It helps out the show
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  tremendously and you'll never miss an episode and each episode
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  is about 10 minutes or less to get you caught up quickly.
• 7:23
  And please, if you want to support the show even more, go
• 7:26
  to patreon.com/stage Zero and please take care of yourselves
• 7:31
  and each other and I'll see you tomorrow.