Polaris Dawn sets records for private space flight

SpaceX has launched billionaire Jared Isaacman and his crew high above Earth to conduct the first private spacewalk

Polaris Dawn mission takes off from Cape Canaveral, Florida
Polaris Dawn launched from Florida's Cape Canaveral early Tuesday for a five-day mission
(Image credit: Chandan Khanna / AFP via Getty Images)

What happened

Polaris Dawn, the private space flight funded by tech billionaire Jared Isaacman and SpaceX, launched from Florida's Cape Canaveral early Tuesday for a five-day mission scheduled to include the first-ever private spacewalk. The Crew Dragon capsule and its four passengers reached their peak altitude of 870 miles last night, traveling farther from Earth than any humans except NASA's 24 moon-traveling Apollo astronauts.

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.