SpaceX has released stunning footage captured by an external camera from the Crew Dragon spacecraft during the recent Polaris Dawn mission.
This awe-inspiring video shows breathtaking views from an altitude of approximately 450 miles (730 kilometers) as the spacecraft orbited Earth 75 times throughout its historic five-day journey.
“It looks like CGI, but these are all real highlights from the Polaris Program space mission,” SpaceX CEO Elon Musk stated in a social media post.
Views from Dragon in flight 🐉🌎
During its five-day mission, Dragon and the Polaris Dawn crew completed 75 orbits around Earth pic.twitter.com/NzIFElzXAm
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) September 27, 2024
Compared to footage transmitted back from the International Space Station (ISS), which orbits at around 250 miles, the Crew Dragon’s higher altitude offers a much broader view, allowing the curvature of the Earth to be more prominently displayed.
The same camera was also used to document the first-ever commercial spacewalk executed by Polaris Dawn crew member Jared Isaacman, the mission’s financier. Following him, fellow crew member Sarah Gillis became the first woman to partake in a commercial spacewalk. This event marked a significant milestone, as it was the first time anyone exited the Crew Dragon spacecraft into the vacuum of space. The primary objective of the spacewalk was to test a new, more adaptable spacesuit designed for increased mobility and comfort, which is expected to see use in future lunar missions and potentially beyond.
Joining Isaacman and Gillis were Scott Poteet and Anna Menon. While Isaacman has previously been to orbit during the privately-funded Inspiration4 mission in 2021, the rest of the crew were making their inaugural journey to space.
Throughout their flight, these four non-professional astronauts ventured 870 miles (1,400 kilometers) from Earth—further than anyone has traveled since the Apollo missions five decades ago. They also experimented with a laser-based communications system and conducted scientific research that aligned with NASA’s Human Research Program focused on health and human performance.
The Crew Dragon and its crew returned safely to Earth on September 15, and their homecoming was captured in a stunning photo taken by NASA astronaut Don Pettit aboard the ISS.
