Space X Polaris Dawn Piloted by Stratham Man

The Space X Polaris Dawn mission began Tuesday morning with liftoff at 5:23 a.m.

The mission pilot is Scott Poteet from Stratham.

He’s a retired Air Force fighter pilot and UNH graduate who grew up in Durham.

Poteet and the other three members of the crew will spend five days aboard the Dragon capsule, testing the Space X communications system, conducting 36 experiments, and a first-ever civilian spacewalk.