--- title: "SpaceX Astronauts Now Farther From Earth Than Any Other Human Since Apollo Moon Missions" description: "SpaceX's all-civilian Polaris Dawn mission has taken the crew farther from our planet than any other humans since NASA's Apollo missions." date: "2024-09-11" modified: "2024-09-11" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/spacex-adventurers-farther-earth-apollo" categories: - "Astronomy" - "Moon" - "Space" - "SpaceX" tags: - "crew dragon" - "polaris dawn" - "SpaceX" - "the digest" --- # SpaceX Astronauts Now Farther From Earth Than Any Other Human Since Apollo Moon Missions ![SpaceX's all-civilian Polaris Dawn mission has taken the crew farther from our planet than any other humans since NASA's Apollo missions.]() *\Image: SpaceX / Futurism\* ## New Heights Tech billionaire and private SpaceX astronaut Jared Isaacman and his three fellow crewmates have officially reached an apogee of 869 miles — roughly three times the altitude of the International Space Station — above the Earth's surface. The team [launched]() on board a Crew Dragon spacecraft early Tuesday morning, kicking off a daring, six-day odyssey full of firsts. Video footage [shared by the space company]() on X-formerly-Twitter shows its Crew Dragon spacecraft firing its Draco thrusters, taking the crew of four farther from our planet than any other humans since NASA's Apollo missions half a century ago. It's a historic moment, demonstrating just how far SpaceX has come in pushing the boundaries of spaceflight. SpaceX's Polaris Dawn mission is Isaacman's second all-civilian trip around the Earth, signaling a major win for the Elon Musk-led venture. "Achievement unlocked," SpaceX wrote in its announcement. https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1833465100809998513 ## Skywalker The mission is flying an unusual elliptical path around the Earth, taking a human crew [through the Van Allen radiation belts]() and [over the planet's poles for the first time ever](). Clearly visible in the footage being shared is the capsule's "Skywalker" platform, a pool ladder-like structure that Isaacman and crewmate Sarah Gillis will use to perform the first private spacewalk as soon as two days from now. The daring stunt will involve fully depressurizing the entire capsule as the crew dons SpaceX's [newly-developed extravehicular activity (EVA) suits]() to keep them safe as they take their first steps outside of the spacecraft at an altitude of around 435 miles. Since launching early Tuesday morning, the mission has largely gone by without a hitch. Later that day, the spacecraft began raising its orbit by burning its thrusters for eight minutes. The spacecraft is scheduled to splash down in the ocean five days from now, bookending a historic mission. That's if everything goes according to plan, of course. Has SpaceX bitten off more than it can chew? We'll be keeping a close eye on the mission, so stay tuned. **More on Polaris Dawn:** *[Billionaire Adventurer Rides SpaceX Spaceship Straight Into Earth's Radiation Belt]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()