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First SpaceX spacewalk: Polaris Dawn mission launch date, details (www.cnbc.com)

submitted 3 weeks ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 weeks ago (12 children)

So who on the crew will perform the spacewalk?

“We’d say all four of us are doing it — there’s no airlock and it’s being vented down to vacuum” inside the spacecraft, Isaacman said.

Interesting choice. Some sort of airlock module attached to the hatch seems like a better idea, but maybe that isn't possible. Hope those EVA suits work well since there's a 4x chance for failure with all 4 of them facing the harshness of space. Same goes for the internal capsule controls/modules/computers.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (2 children)

Some sort of airlock module attached to the hatch seems like a better idea

Did you imagine the airlock would be mounted on the outside or the inside of the capsule? If it's on the outside, it seems like it could mess with the aerodynamics on ascent. If it's on the inside, it seems like it would cut into usable living space.

Same goes for the internal capsule controls/modules/computers.

This is something I wish was discussed in more detail. Did they need to swap out any components to withstand vacuum?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I was thinking outside; external module. Apollo could "store" external modules for launch in the fairing, then dock with them in space (ie, moon lander/moon ascent). That's enormously complex of course though.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago

Why not an inflatable airlock? It worked* for Voskhod.

*I mean it didn't kill the crew...

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