Polaris Dawn launch: Duke graduate Anna Menon set to make historic spacewalk during 5-day SpaceX mission [Video]

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) — After two weeks of delays, the ambitious Polaris Dawn space mission, led by billionaire Jared Isaacman and in collaboration with SpaceX, launched early Tuesday morning.

The four-person civilian crew launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Tuesday at 5:23 a.m. ET in SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, according to a social media post by the aerospace company.

One of the crew members is Duke graduate Anna Menon. She earned her Master’s in biomedical engineering from Duke University in 2010. She worked at NASA for six years before joining SpaceX in 2018.

Menon is on the Polaris Dawn crew as the medical officer. She’s expected to help carry out science experiments throughout the 5-day trip.

Polaris Dawn’s lift off came after one final two-hour …