US: SpaceX has postponed its Polaris Dawn mission, a planned private human spaceflight mission, due to a ground-side helium leak on the Quick Disconnect umbilical, critical component in the ground support system.
The mission will be delayed by at least a day because of a helium leak in ground equipment at Kennedy Space Centre, the company said, hours before the scheduled liftoff of its Crew Dragon capsule.
Despite the technical issue, SpaceX confirmed that the Falcon and Dragon remain healthy and the crew continues to be ready for their multi-day mission to low-Earth orbit.
SpaceX targets Wednesday, August 28 at 3:38 a.m. ET for Falcon 9’s re-launch of Polaris Dawn to low-Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. There are two additional launch opportunities within the four-hour window at 5:23 a.m. ET and 7:09 a.m. ET. If needed, backup opportunities are available on Thursday, August 29 at the same times.
The @PolarisProgram’s Polaris Dawn mission will be the first crew to perform a spacewalk from Dragon, fly higher in Earth’s orbit than anyone since the Apollo program, test laser-based @Starlink communications, and conduct research to help provide insight on human health during… pic.twitter.com/RW387QWShY
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) August 22, 2024
During their multi-day mission to orbit, Dragon and the crew will endeavor on a 20-minute spacewalk 434 miles (700 km) from earth to reach the highest Earth orbit ever flown since the Apollo program and participate in the first-ever extravehicular activity (EVA) by commercial astronauts wearing SpaceX-developed EVA suits.
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 Polaris Dawn crew will combine their expertise, knowledge, and passion for spaceflight to further human space exploration. This will be the first human spaceflight for Mission Pilot Kidd Poteet, Mission Specialist Sarah Gillis, and Mission Specialist and Medical Officer Anna Menon.
YOU MAY LIKE | NASA’s Deep Space Food Challenge reveals space food innovations
