SpaceX delays launch of Polaris Dawn, first-ever private spacewalk mission
- Historic launch of Polaris Dawn mission with all-civilian crew is delayed by at least a day to check a ‘ground-side helium leak’
SpaceX has delayed the launch of a rocket carrying four private astronauts to space, part of a groundbreaking mission aimed at performing the world’s first commercial spacewalk.
The launch, initially scheduled for early Tuesday morning, was scrubbed to check a ground-side helium leak, one of SpaceX’s two lead engineers, Sarah Gillis, said in a post on X. The next launch window is no earlier than August 28, SpaceX said.
On board the mission, called Polaris Dawn, is billionaire Jared Isaacman, who previously flew to orbit with SpaceX in 2021 and provided funding for the flight and its development.
Flying with him are the two lead SpaceX engineers, Gillis and Anna Menon, as well as Isaacman’s friend and former Air Force pilot Scott “Kidd” Poteet.
The signature moment of the mission is set to occur on the third day of flight, when Isaacman and Gillis plan to step outside an open hatch on their Crew Dragon spacecraft and each perform a spacewalk. The two will go out one at a time for about 15 to 20 minutes each while tethered to the vehicle.
It is unclear how SpaceX plans to incorporate spacewalking into future missions, but the company is eager to test out the new capability.
