PR in the Philippines

Jared Isaacman and Sarah Gillis, the first non-governmental astronauts to perform an extravehicular activity (EVA), or spacewalk, conducted their historic walk outside their Crew Dragon spacecraft just before 7:00 a.m. E.D.T. today. Despite the inherent risks, they were prepared. In 1965, Alexei Leonov, the first human to perform a spacewalk, almost couldn’t get back into his capsule due to an overinflated suit. And a year later, during his Gemini 9 spacewalk, American astronaut almost lost his life when his helmet visor fogged over, his suit overheated, and he too had to fight to get back inside. Isaacman and Gillis faced no such perils, thanks to the short duration of their EVA and the vast knowledge accumulated from the 263 humans who have performed spacewalks since 1965. Instead, they were able to marvel at the view and focus on their primary task: testing SpaceX’s new, agile spacesuits, which the company hopes to use for future missions to the moon and Mars. “Congratulations @PolarisProgram and @SpaceX on the first commercial spacewalk in history!” tweeted NASA Administrator Bill Nelson . “Today’s success represents a giant leap forward for the commercial space industry and @NASA’s long-term goal to build a vibrant U.S. space economy.” The EVA was one of many tasks packed into the five-day Polaris Dawn mission. Other tasks included conducting medical studies, performing navigational maneuvers, and running a communications test with SpaceX’s Starlink satellite network. This week’s mission is the first of three flights in the Polaris series, all of which are being funded by Isaacman, the billionaire founder and CEO of Stripe, an Internet payments company. And the spacewalk wasn’t the only breakthrough for the mission. On Sept. 10, Polaris Dawn achieved a new altitude record for a crewed spacecraft in Earth orbit, soaring to 870 miles up, surpassing the altitude benchmark established by the Gemini 11 mission, in 1966. But it was the EVA that was the highlight. The entire exercise lasted one hour and 46 minutes, beginning with the depressurization of the spacecraft and the opening of the hatch. The International Space Station (ISS) is equipped with an airlock, which allows the outpost to remain pressurized when astronauts venture outside, enabling those who remain behind to continue working in shirtsleeves. The Dragon, however, has no such airlock. That required the other two astronauts, Scott Poteet and Anna Menon, who stayed inside the spacecraft, to be suited as well, since the cockpit, like the environment outside, would become a vacuum.  To prepare the crew for this pressure change, shortly after the mission’s Sept. 10 liftoff, ground controllers slowly started increasing the oxygen ratio in the oxygen-nitrogen capsule atmosphere while simultaneously lowering the pressure from the earthly 14.7 pounds per square inch to just five pounds—the pressure inside the suits. These adjustments prevent the occurrence of the bends—painful and dangerous nitrogen bubbles, which form in the bloodstream and tissues of the astronauts. With the astronauts’ bodies prepped and the cabin vented, Isaacman opened the wide hatch in the nose of the spacecraft at 6:12 a.m. E.D.T. and floated outside at 6:51 a.m. E.D.T. ISS astronauts wear portable life support system (PLSS) backpacks, since they have to make their way to often remote spots on the station, which is larger than a football field. Isaacman and Gillis had no PLSS, instead getting their oxygen and power via 12-foot umbilical cords, which also prevented them from accidentally drifting off into space.  They could get away with only those tethers since they didn’t venture far—standing just outside the hatch, while holding onto a railing resembling a mobility support system, that SpaceX dubbed the Skywalker. Early astronauts routinely practiced such so-called stand-up EVAs. Buzz Aldrin, the second man on the moon, performed two during the 1966 flight of Gemini 12. Astronaut Dick Gordon, of Gemini 11, famously fell asleep during a stand-up EVA as he was climbing back into his hatch, after exhausting himself free-floating and maneuvering outside the spacecraft. Isaacman and Gillis had no opportunity for a nap. Each was outside for no more than 10 minutes, and spent most of their time flexing, reaching, and bending in their suits, testing their mobility and comfort. SpaceX envisions mass-producing the suits one day—in pursuit of its long-term goal of colonizing Mars—and this first flight test was a key step. “It’ll look like we’re doing a little bit of a dance,” Isaacman explained in an August press conference at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. “The idea is to learn as much as we possibly can about this suit and get it back to the engineers to inform future suit design evolutions.” At the end of the EVA, Kate Tice, the SpaceX mission commentator, noted that the entire experience went by “in the blink of an eye,” and indeed it must have seemed that way—especially compared to the seven hours ISS astronauts may spend outside. The 20 minutes total that Isaacman and Gillis logged nearly matched the 23-minute EVA of NASA astronaut Ed White, who made the first American spacewalk during the Gemini 4 mission. White had to be coaxed back inside, playfully telling both Houston and his commander, astronaut Jim McDivitt, that he refused to bring the adventure to an end. Finally, he agreed, making his way back to his hatch and saying, “It’s the saddest moment of my life.”  Isaacman, from his perch above the planet, likely felt the same. “Back at home we have a lot of work to do,” he said, as he looked down on the South Pacific from an altitude of 458 miles, “but from here, it sure looks like a perfect world.” 

(NEW YORK) — Harvey Weinstein, the disgraced former movie mogul, has been indicted on additional sex crimes charges in New York. These charges come ahead of a retrial in his landmark case, Manhattan prosecutors announced during a court hearing on Thursday. The indictment will remain sealed until Weinstein is arraigned on the new charges, which could happen as early as Sept. 18. Assistant District Attorney Nicole Blumberg revealed in court that the indictment includes “additional crimes” against Weinstein and that several accusers are prepared to testify against him. Weinstein, 72, is recovering from emergency heart surgery that he underwent on Monday at a Manhattan hospital. The surgery was performed to remove fluid from his heart and lungs. He was not present at Thursday’s hearing. Prosecutors who are retrying Weinstein’s case revealed last week that they had begun presenting evidence to a grand jury regarding up to three additional allegations against Weinstein. These allegations date back to the mid-2000s. These allegations include alleged sexual assaults at the Tribeca Grand Hotel, now known as the Roxy Hotel, and in a Lower Manhattan residential building between late 2005 and mid-2006. Additionally, there is an alleged sexual assault at a Tribeca hotel in May 2016. Because the indictment is under seal, it is not known whether the new charges involve all or some of the additional allegations. “We don’t know anything,” said Weinstein’s lawyer, Arthur Aidala, outside court. “We don’t know what the exact accusations are, the exact locations are, what the timing is.” In April, New York’s highest court overturned Weinstein’s 2020 conviction on rape and sexual assault charges involving two women. Weinstein’s retrial is tentatively scheduled to begin Nov. 12. Prosecutors stated that they would seek to combine any new charges with the ones previously brought against Weinstein so that they could be tried together. Weinstein’s lawyers oppose this, arguing that prosecutors are attempting to strengthen their original case with additional charges involving other accusers. Aidala said Weinstein’s defense team will not be ready to go to trial in November on the new charges. By law, he said, they will have 45 days to file court papers challenging the prosecution’s request to try the original and new indictments at the same time. This fight will likely extend into the weeks before a possible trial. Weinstein’s new charges come after prosecutors in Britain announced last week that they would no longer pursue charges of indecent assault against Weinstein. Weinstein was the most prominent villain of the #MeToo movement in 2017 when women began going public with accounts of his behavior. Weinstein, who co-founded the film and television production companies Miramax and The Weinstein Company, has long maintained that any sexual activity was consensual. Also on Thursday, Judge Curtis Farber granted a defense request to keep the ailing Weinstein at Bellevue Hospital indefinitely instead of being transferred back to the infirmary ward at New York City’s Rikers Island jail complex. Farber also ordered Weinstein’s attending physician at Rikers Island to testify at a closed-door hearing about the ex-studio boss’ health issues. Weinstein’s surgery on Monday was his third trip to Bellevue Hospital to have fluid drained, Farber said. Weinstein has a variety of ailments that require medication and treatment. These conditions cause him to retain water in his arms, legs, abdomen, and around his heart. He needs constant monitoring to ensure that the fluid buildup does not become deadly, the judge said. “If Mr. Weinstein dies because no one has taken the authority to stop what may be the death of Mr. Weinstein because of this back-and-forth transfer from one institution to another, it would be a miscarriage of justice to say the least,” Weinstein’s lawyer Barry Kamins told Farber. “It would be a travesty of justice.” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office had indicated for months that new charges against Weinstein were imminent. Weinstein was once one of the most powerful people in Hollywood. He produced films such as “Pulp Fiction” and “The Crying Game.” In July, prosecutors told a judge they were actively pursuing claims of rape that occurred in Manhattan within the statute of limitations. They said that some potential accusers who were not ready to come forward during Weinstein’s first New York trial had indicated they were now willing to testify. In vacating Weinstein’s conviction, New York’s Court of Appeals ruled that the trial judge, James M. Burke, unfairly allowed testimony against him based on allegations from other women that were not part of the case. Burke is no longer on the bench. Prosecutors have said that one of the accusers in that case, Jessica Mann, is prepared to testify against him again. It’s unclear if the second accuser, Mimi Haley, would participate. Her lawyer, Gloria Allred, declined to comment. The Associated Press does not generally identify people alleging sexual assault unless they consent to be named, as Haley and Mann did. Weinstein, who had been serving a 23-year sentence in New York when his conviction was quashed, was convicted in Los Angeles in 2022 of another rape. His 16-year prison sentence in that case still stands, but his lawyers appealed in June, arguing he did not get a fair trial in Los Angeles. Weinstein has remained in custody in New York’s Rikers Island jail complex while awaiting the retrial. ___ Associated Press reporter Philip Marcelo contributed to this report.

A noticeable earthquake shook the Los Angeles area early Thursday morning. The U.S. Geological Survey recorded a preliminary magnitude of 4.7 for the quake, which originated 4 miles (7 kilometers) north of Malibu. The USGS reported the temblor occurred roughly 7 miles (11 kilometers) beneath the surface. The tremor was perceptible as far away as 45 miles (72 kilometers) in Orange County. The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services is diligently monitoring the earthquake and investigating potential damage. A string of quakes has struck the region this year. A 4.4 magnitude earthquake in August was felt from the  all the way to San Diego, causing swaying buildings, rattling dishes, and triggering car alarms.

TIME has released its second annual list of the World's Best Companies, in collaboration with Statista, a leading provider of market and consumer data and rankings. The result of this comprehensive study: 1,000 companies leading the way into the future. Here's how the winners were chosen. Methodology The research project “World’s Best Companies 2024” is a comprehensive analysis conducted to identify the top performing companies across the globe. The study was based on three primary dimensions: Employee Satisfaction, Revenue Growth, and Sustainability Transparency (ESG). The first dimension, Employee Satisfaction, was evaluated using survey data from employees worldwide. The surveys were conducted in over 50 countries with data collected from approximately 170,000 participants. The evaluation encompassed evaluations of employers across the dimensions image, atmosphere, working conditions, salary, and equality by verified employees as well as direct and indirect recommendations. The second dimension, Revenue Growth, was assessed using data from Statista’s revenue database and targeted research, which contains company growth data for the last three years. The companies had to meet certain criteria to be considered for the evaluation, including generating a revenue of at least US $100 million in the last available fiscal year and demonstrating positive revenue growth from 2021 to 2023*. Both relative and absolute growth were considered in the evaluation. The third dimension, Sustainability Transparency, was evaluated based on ESG data among standardized KPIs from Statista’s ESG Database and targeted data research. To formulate a comprehensive ESG index, multiple data points were collected. For the environmental evaluation, this included the carbon emissions intensity and reduction rate, as well as the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) rating. The social dimension assessed the share of women on the board of directors and the existence of a human rights policy. The governance dimension evaluated whether a company had a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) report adhering to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines and a compliance or anti-corruption guideline. Once the data was collected and evaluated, it was consolidated and weighted within a scoring model. The scores of all three dimensions were added on an equal percentage basis to form the final ranking score of a maximum of 100 points. The 1,000 companies with the highest score were awarded as the World's Best Companies by TIME and Statista. *When data from 2023 was not available, data from the last available fiscal year was used.

South Korea has given the go-ahead to build two nuclear reactors on its east coast, reviving a project that was shelved by the previous administration, which favored an anti-nuclear energy policy. The government authorized the construction of the Shin Hanul No. 3 and 4 reactors in Uljin, it announced on Thursday. Each reactor will have a capacity of 1.4 gigawatts, the government added. South Korea is undergoing a nuclear energy revival as President Yoon Suk-yeol, who took office in 2022, reverses his predecessor’s policy and emphasizes the role of nuclear power in reducing emissions. Seoul aims to have nuclear energy account for 36% of its power generation by 2038, up from the current 30%. The country aims to meet its burgeoning power demand from artificial intelligence using carbon-free sources like nuclear and hydrogen, Vice Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Choe Nam-ho stated in an interview earlier this month. A national energy strategy proposed in May outlined plans for three new reactors, each with a capacity of 1.4 gigawatts, and a 700-megawatt small modular reactor by 2038. South Korea expects to finish building Shin Hanul No. 3 and 4 units by 2032 and 2033, respectively, according to the presidential office. The announcement follows Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., the state-run developer of nuclear power plants, first seeking construction approval in 2016. The project had been abandoned under former President Moon Jae-in, who had pledged to phase out nuclear power from the country’s energy mix, citing safety concerns. The renewed push for nuclear power received a boost earlier this year when South Korea secured a $17 billion project to export its nuclear technology to the Czech Republic.

After Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump squared off in the ABC News presidential debate on Sept. 10, attention has already shifted to when a rematch will happen—if at all. While the Harris campaign was on the fence before the ABC debate whether they would take part in another, immediately after the first face off, which observers widely deemed a success, an eagerness to do it again was clear. “Under the bright lights, the American people got to see the choice they will face this fall at the ballot box: between moving forward with Kamala Harris, or going backwards with Trump,” campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon said in a statement Tuesday night. “That’s what they saw tonight and what they should see at a second debate in October. Vice President Harris is ready for a second debate. Is Donald Trump?” After stepping off the stage, Trump spoke to Sean Hannity on Fox News and suggested that Harris wanted a rematch because “she lost.” As for whether he wanted to face off again, Trump said he’d “have to think about it. … If you won the debate, I sort of think maybe I shouldn’t do it. Why should I do another debate?” Trump repeated the claim on Truth Social that Harris only wanted a rematch because “she lost so badly.” Trump, like many of his allies, criticized the ABC News moderators, David Muir and Linsey Davis, claiming the debate was “three against one” because of their real-time fact-checks of his false claims. “Maybe if it was on a fair network,” Trump said, when pressed by Hannity about doing another debate against Harris. “You would be fair, actually, you want to know the truth,” Trump said, suggesting he would participate in a debate if it were to be moderated by Hannity, a Trump supporter and Fox News host. Fox announced on Tuesday that it invited both campaigns to take part in a debate on the network in October, moderated by news anchors Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum. But Trump did not like the proposal—instead pitching his preferred Fox personalities to moderate. “I’d love to have somebody else other than Martha and Bret,” he said over the phone on Wednesday morning. “I’d love to have, frankly, Sean [Hannity] or Jesse [Watters] or Laura [Ingraham].” Trump added that CNN, which hosted the first debate between Trump and then-candidate President Joe Biden before Biden withdrew following a positive COVID-19 test, “was much more honorable” than ABC in moderating. CNN’s moderators Jake Tapper and Dana Bash did not fact-check the candidates on stage, though CNN did post fact-checks online.  Trump campaign senior adviser Jason Miller told Fox News around the same time on Wednesday morning that “President Trump has already said that he’s going to do three debates [with Harris]: We had the September 4th debate, which was going to be on Fox and Kamala Harris was a no-show; we had last night; and President Trump already said that, on September 25th, we would do a debate on NBC.” (In August, the Harris campaign said it would only participate in two presidential debates: ABC’s on Sept. 10, and another in October for which the details remain to be finalized.) Trump, however, said on Fox & Friends that he was “not inclined to do” another debate with Harris, but he added: “I think we let it settle in, and let’s see what happens.”  Speaking to reporters later Wednesday, Trump added: “Are we going to do a rematch? I just don’t know. We’ll think about it.” Harris’ and Trump’s participation in the ABC debate was the result of months of negotiations between both camps. Multiple networks, including Fox and NBC, have proposed dates for potential future debates, but only one remaining 2024 debate has been mutually agreed on by both campaigns so far: a vice presidential debate between Trump’s running mate Mike Pence and Harris’ running mate Minn. Gov. Tina Smith.

SINGAPORE — Pope Francis on Thursday commended Singapore’s economic prowess as a testament to human resourcefulness, but urged the city-state to extend its care to the most vulnerable, especially foreign workers, as he began the final leg of his Asian tour, transitioning from some of the region’s poorest countries to one of the world’s wealthiest. Singapore marked his arrival by unveiling a new hybrid orchid named after him, the “Dendrobium His Holiness Pope Francis.” Presented during an official welcome ceremony, the orchid embodies a “serene and pure beauty” with its ivory white petals and a delicate pink hue at the center, according to the National Parks Board. Francis arrived in Singapore from East Timor and commenced his official program Thursday by meeting with President and Prime Minister before addressing government officials and the diplomatic corps at the National University of Singapore. There, Francis was awestruck by Singapore’s modern skyscrapers “that seem to rise from the sea” and the government’s dedication to sustainable development, providing public housing and quality education and healthcare to its citizens. However, he encouraged authorities to prioritize the well-being of the most disadvantaged and to be wary of prioritizing excellence at all costs, a subtle critique of Singapore’s highly competitive work and educational culture. “I would like to highlight the risk entailed in focusing solely on pragmatism or placing merit above all things, namely the unintended consequence of justifying the exclusion of those on the margins from benefiting from progress,” he said. In a common plea from history’s first Latin American pope, Francis particularly advocated for dignified compensation and working conditions for migrant workers, who have played a crucial role in transforming Singapore into one of the world’s most advanced financial hubs. “These workers contribute a great deal to society and should be guaranteed a fair wage,” Francis said. Singapore currently lacks a minimum wage policy for both locals and foreigners. Singapore served as the final stop on Francis’ 11-day tour, the longest and most far-reaching of his papacy, following previous visits to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and East Timor. The economic disparities were starkly evident upon arrival Wednesday as Francis landed in Singapore’s high-tech airport aboard the lone aircraft belonging to Aero Dili, the national carrier of East Timor, where around 42% of its people live below the poverty line. Singapore has long championed its transformation from a colonial port devoid of natural resources into a financial and trade powerhouse in just a few decades since gaining independence from Malaysia in 1965. The former British colony boasts one of the highest living standards globally, renowned for its safety and low crime rate. However, it is also one of the most expensive cities to live in, and its competitive work environment creates a stressful and overworked population. Francis’ praise for the country’s remarkable economic growth was notable, considering his well-known criticism of the excesses of capitalism. According to the International Monetary Fund, Singapore’s gross domestic product per capita of $133,740 ranked fourth highest in the world, surpassing the U.S. and other developed nations. Foreigners comprise over a third of Singapore’s workforce. Official data reveals that the foreign workforce of 1.5 million includes 286,000 domestic workers and 441,000 individuals employed in construction, shipping and maintenance roles, supporting Singapore’s trade-dependent economy. Many of these workers are migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and other less affluent Asian nations. Human Rights Watch reported in a last year that foreign migrant workers confront labor rights abuses and exploitation through exorbitant debts owed to recruitment agents, non-payment of wages, restrictions on movement, passport confiscation, and occasionally physical and sexual violence. The organization pointed out that domestic workers are excluded from many essential labor protections, such as limitations on daily work hours, sick leave and annual leave. Francis is visiting Singapore to encourage its Catholic community, comprising about 3.5% of the population of just under 6 million, while highlighting Singapore’s tradition of interfaith coexistence. According to a 2020 census, Buddhists constitute around 31% of the population, Christians 19% and Muslims 15%, while approximately one-fifth of the population profess no religious affiliation. In his remarks to the pope, President Shanmugaratnam emphasized Singapore’s commitment to environmental sustainability and interfaith harmony, stating that both have been the product of persistent effort and dedication over decades. “We are a multiracial, multireligious, and multicultural society,” he said. “For us, solidarity and harmony have therefore been at the core, and will remain core features in our national development.” He commended Francis’ consistent calls to care for God’s creation, noting that Singapore too has prioritized sustainability since independence nearly six decades ago. Singapore’s greening plan through 2030 envisions greater reliance on solar energy, waste reduction and the implementation of carbon taxes to transition to a low-carbon economy. “As a small city-state, we have sought to balance development with environmental responsibility,” he said. Francis commended Singapore’s environmental policies as a model for the rest of the world, calling it “a shining example of what humanity can achieve by working together in harmony, with a sense of responsibility and a spirit of inclusiveness and fraternity.” Francis celebrates Mass later Thursday in Singapore’s national stadium and will preside over an interfaith youth event Friday morning before returning to Rome. Dozens of individuals came out to greet him Thursday morning as he arrived at Parliament House for the official welcome ceremony, cheering as his motorcade passed by. “We just wanted to make sure that we caught his attention, and that we really communicated our love and warm welcome to him here in Singapore,” said Lissy Puno, who created posters and bracelets to commemorate the visit. —AP writer Eileen Ng contributed from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Popular K-pop group NewJeans took to YouTube to demand the reinstatement of their ousted long-time producer by Sept. 25, escalating an ongoing dispute and stunning an industry controlled by a handful of powerful management firms. Hybe’s shares dived as much as 6.2%—their biggest intraday fall in a month—after the five-member group announced their demands in a surprise YouTube live-stream Wednesday evening. The women accused Hybe of discrimination and called for measures to protect NewJeans, one of the most lucrative and popular K-pop bands that generated 100 billion won ($73 million) of revenue last year, according to a company filing. Hybe didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. NewJeans’ ultimatum underscored a deepening revolt against the management company. It comes after Hybe ordered Min Hee-jin to step down as CEO in August and gave her two months to work on the group’s album. In doing so, Hybe defied an earlier court order that barred Hybe from dismissing Min as the head of sister label ADOR, which produces NewJeans, according to a statement from Min’s lawyer. “If our message has been properly conveyed, we hope chairman Bang and Hybe will make a wise decision to restore ADOR to its original state by the 25th,” NewJeans member Minji said at the end of the video, referring to label chairman Bang Si-hyuk. The power struggle at Hybe has wiped out 27% of Hybe’s market value since the dispute between Min and the company first surfaced in mid-April. Hybe started an internal audit of Min’s activities, accusing her of trying to seize control of ADOR. They took their disagreement to court, where a judge ruled the producer should remain head of the sister label. “All we want is this legal conflict to be resolved and have our working environment returned back to normal the way it was before,” another member Hanni said.

When astronaut , the commander of NASA’s mission, fired his spacecraft engine on Sept. 14, 1966 to climb to a record orbital altitude of 850 miles, he didn’t keep his enthusiasm contained. “Whoop-de-doo!” the former Naval aviator exclaimed. “That’s the biggest thrill of my life. I’ve got India at the left window and Borneo under our nose.” Conrad died in 1999, but his altitude record would stand for another 25 years. Until now. Yesterday, Sept. 10, it was broken, when the four crewmembers of the all-civilian flew their SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft up to a new high, or apogee, of 870 miles, venturing farther from Earth than any humans on a non-lunar journey have ever gone.  “Achievement unlocked,” , echoing the language of video games. The new benchmark involved more than just record-setting; there was science too. The Earth is surrounded by twin bands of radiation, known as the , extending from a low of 400 miles above the planet to a high of 36,000 miles. The belts crackle with energy, subjecting a spacecraft—or an astronaut—to a potentially destructive bombardment of . One of the goals of Polaris Dawn is to study both the Dragon and the crew in that perilous environment, to see if either one suffers any ill-effects, since trips to the moon and Mars require surfing through the Van Allen breakers. Mission commander Jared Isaacman—the billionaire founder of Shift4, an online payments company, who is bankrolling Polaris Dawn—and the three other astronauts aren’t taking undue chances: they will stay at their peak altitude for less than a day of their five-day mission, but that should be enough to gather at least some data from a battery of more than 40 medical experiments the astronauts will be conducting. “Some of the research that we will do really digs into that radiation environment looking at how medications perform when exposed to that sort of radiation, looking at whether you can develop diagnostic technologies in that environment, such as X-ray images,” crew member and medical officer Anna Menon told TIME. “These sorts of learnings will be really strong tools as we pursue longer duration [flights] such as missions to Mars.” The astronauts will undergo medical tests not just in space, but after they return to Earth. And the spacecraft itself, which is flying its third mission, will be subjected to similar examination. The Dragon is not designed to leave Earth orbit, but SpaceX’s next crewed vehicle, , is being developed for lunar and Martian missions; what engineers learn about radiation exposure on the Dragon could be incorporated into the design of shielding for any follow-on ships. Even bigger things are on tap for this week. On Thursday, Sept. 12, Isaacman and crewmate Sarah Gillis are scheduled to embark on the first extravehicular activity (EVA), or spacewalk, by civilian astronauts—an exercise that will be risky not just for them but for Menon and crewmate Scott Poteet, who will remain inside the spacecraft. Unlike the International Space Station, which has an airlock that allows the overall outpost to remain pressurized when astronauts venture out into space, Dragon has nothing more than a hatch that opens to the void. That means the vacuum inside the ship will match the vacuum outside, requiring all four astronauts to wear newly designed, especially robust spacesuits. SpaceX developed the suits not just for EVA, but also for exploring the surface of other worlds. This first flight for the new suits will help determine if they’re indeed suited for those later missions. “There’s obviously a ton of learning that needs to happen through this first development, [including] how the suit operates and what mobility and dexterity and tactility and all those key suit metrics that we need to look into,” says Gillis.  “The smart engineers over at SpaceX built an EVA suit in less than a year,” adds Isaacman. “NASA has been working on this for quite some time and the cost usually goes into the billions. I can assure you that SpaceX and Polaris are not investing anything even close to that.” The cost savings matter. for its Artemis lunar program is only $7.8 billion for fiscal 2025. That’s compared to the just shy of (inflation-adjusted) cost of the Apollo program in 1966. Saving on suits could make a big difference when pockets are not nearly as deep as they were three generations ago.  Polaris Dawn will return to Earth no later than Sept. 15, but that won’t be all for the Polaris program. Isaacman is planning two more flights in the Polaris series—another one in a Dragon and the last on the maiden mission of the Starship. He named the program after our North Star, which is actually three stars, and he aims to honor that moniker with his own trio of cosmic journeys.