In a recently published video, Tim Dodd from the YouTube channel Everyday Astronaut met and trained with the crew of SpaceX’s upcoming Polaris Dawn mission.
SpaceX’s Polaris Program is a series of missions funded by billionaire Jared “Rook” Isaacman that will culminate in the first crewed flight of SpaceX’s Starship. The company is currently hoping to conduct the first orbital flight of Starship in November.
Dodd was one of a select group of space journalists and science communicators who were invited by Isaacman to take part in fighter jet training with the Polaris Dawn astronauts.
Fighter jet training has historically been integral to getting astronauts ready for spaceflight. While it’s not exactly the same as being launched into space, fighter jet training helps astronauts become accustomed to checklists and communications and improve situational awareness.
Dodd went through the training with Polaris Dawn crew members aboard Isaacman’s private fleet of fighter jets. The YouTuber also conducted interviews with some of the astronauts and explained how fighter jet training became a spaceflight staple.
You can check out Everyday Astronaut‘s full video below:
Polaris Dawn will lift off into space on a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule sometime in 2023. Part of the mission will be SpaceX’s first attempt at an extravehicular activity (EVA), where the entire Dragon capsule will be depressurized, the docking port will be opened, and the astronauts will float out into space.
If the first-ever commercial EVA goes smoothly, SpaceX’s Dragon capsule could later end up being hired by NASA to service the Hubble Space Telescope.
Earlier this year, Dodd also received a tour of the Starship launch tower at Starbase from none other than SpaceX CEO Elon Musk.
