The “Polaris Dawn” Mission By SpaceX Has Been Delayed Due Helium Leak

A helium leak in ground equipment at Kennedy Space Center caused Space’s four-person “Polaris Dawn” mission to be delayed by one day, to Wednesday, August 28, the Elon Musk-led business announced, just hours before the planned lift-off.

SpaceX wrote on X “Teams are taking a closer look at a ground-side helium leak on the Quick Disconnect umbilical. Falcon and Dragon remain healthy and the crew continues to be ready for their multi-day mission to low-Earth orbit. Next launch opportunity is no earlier than Wednesday, August 28,”

The mission features a spacewalk by civilians 

SpaceX’s ‘Polaris Dawn’ stands as the inaugural undertaking among three meticulously outlined missions within the promising Polaris program, an extraordinary human spaceflight initiative that has garnered financial backing from the visionary Jared Isaacman. 

This groundbreaking mission uniquely showcases a gripping narrative as civilians partake in a mesmerizing spacewalk, a pivotal and boldly innovative endeavor typically associated with seasoned government astronauts. Spearheading this mission with unwavering expertise and unyielding determination is none other than Isaacman himself, expertly accompanied by the skilled pilot Scott “Kidd” Poteet, as well as the invaluable contributions from SpaceX engineers, the adept Sarah Gillis, and the invaluable Anna Menon, combining their prowess seamlessly to soar towards the vast cosmos.

“They will also conduct 36 research studies”

During the mission, the Dragon spacecraft and crew will attempt to achieve the highest Earth orbit ever flown since the Apollo program, as well as participate in the first extravehicular activity (EVA) by commercial astronauts wearing SpaceX-developed EVA suits, according to a statement.

SpaceX further added “They will also conduct 36 research studies and experiments from 31 partner institutions designed to advance both human health on Earth and during long-duration spaceflight, and test Starlink laser-based communications in space,” 

The five-day mission is set to culminate two days after launch with a 20-minute private spacewalk 434 miles from Earth, marking history’s first such spacewalk. A live webcast will begin three and a half hours before liftoff.

Follow Wat-Not on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram