Artwork by St. Jude patient Ty
Expanding our understanding of what's possible
As with the Inspiration4 spaceflight —the first all-civilian mission to orbit — the Polaris Program will push the frontiers of human space exploration.
Starting with Polaris Dawn, the program will consist of a series of missions, culminating in the world’s first-human spaceflight on Starship, all while raising awareness and funds for important causes here on Earth, including St. Jude.
Meet the Polaris Dawn crew
Jared Isaacman
Mission Commander
Scott Poteet
Mission Pilot
Sarah Gillis
Mission Specialist
Anna Menon
Mission Specialist & Medical Officer
Jared Isaacman — Commander of Inspiration4 — will command up to three Polaris missions, starting with Polaris Dawn. We are grateful to Jared and deeply honored by his continued support of St. Jude through his spaceflights.
St. Jude is proud to be the charitable beneficiary of this milestone in spaceflight, which will allow us to continue our groundbreaking research for kids worldwide afflicted with cancer and other life-threatening diseases.
St. Jude patient Kenadie
A visit to St. Jude, and an inspiration for patients to reach for the stars
The Polaris Dawn mission crew took time from their training schedule to tour St. Jude and meet some of the children and families they are helping. They did an art project with the patients who peppered them with questions about the mission. Read about the event or learn more about the crew and their mission.
Launched Tuesday, September 10
HIGHLIGHTS
- SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket launched the Polaris Dawn mission to low-Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 5:23 a.m. ET on September 10, 2024.
- Dragon and the Polaris Dawn crew safely splashed down off the coast of Florida at 3:36 a.m. ET on September 15.
- Jared Isaacman, Scott Poteet, Sarah Gillis, and Anna Menon spent nearly five days in orbit, reaching the highest Earth orbit ever flown, completing the first commercial spacewalk, and conducting research to increase understanding of the impact on long-duration spaceflights on human health.
- The crew was the first to test Starlink laser-based communications in space. As a part of these tests, Mission Specialist Sarah Gillis played the first violin in space, sending back a message of unity and hope named Harmony of Resilience, a global music moment supported by composer John Williams and professional and youth musicians around the world.
Background art by St. Jude patient Caleb
Bid now during this exclusive auction and help the Polaris Program continue to raise funds and awareness for St. Jude.
Space and Polaris Dawn-themed T-shirts, tote bags, phone cases and more — all to benefit St. Jude kids.
Show your support for this mission with a flight jacket, hat and more. Proceeds benefit St. Jude.
When you donate $25 or more to St. Jude, you will receive this Polaris Dawn Mission patch as our gift to you.
The single most significant predictor of whether a child with cancer will survive is where they live.
Treatments developed at St. Jude have helped push the overall survival rate for childhood cancer from 20% when the hospital opened in 1962 to more than 80% today, meaning 4 out of 5 children afflicted with cancer in the United States will survive.
In many countries, however, 1 out of 5 children who develop cancer will survive. We won't stop until no child dies from cancer, no matter where they live.
Our worldwide goal
Our goal is to cure at least 60% of children with six of the most common kinds of cancer worldwide by 2030.
St. Jude patient Jacob, blood cancer
Together, we can build a brighter future for the generations to come.
Your donation will advance the lifesaving work of St. Jude and help bring us closer to a day when no child — anywhere — dies in the dawn of life.
