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How SpaceX's private Polaris Dawn astronauts will attempt the 1st-ever 'all-civilian' spacewalk


The Polaris Dawn crew is filling their plate with lots to do during their five-day mission to Earth orbit.

(Image credit: NASA)Rather than take things underwater, SpaceX engineers at the company's headquarters in Hawthorne, California, rigged up an elaborate system of ropes, pullies and counterweights inside a Dragon capsule simulator that mimics the effects of microgravity. "The difference is that [astronauts aboard the space station] will often just breathe 100 percent oxygen for a very prolonged period of time, or do an exercise routine to try and purge the nitrogen from their system, in which case, you have less concern about experiencing decompression sickness," Isaacman explained. As such, SpaceX technicians removed any components or materials unable to withstand vacuum exposure for extended lengths of time and added footholds and handholds in the cabin for increased stability, including a mobility interface apparatus (a ladder, basically) at Dragon's forward hatch.

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