SpaceX's historic Polaris Dawn mission has been delayed by at least 24 hours after a helium leak on Monday, the aerospace company announced. It was announced Monday night.
The spacecraft, carrying four US citizens, was scheduled to launch early Tuesday from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, but the launch was postponed until Wednesday because of a helium leak.
“Teams are conducting a detailed investigation into a ground-side helium leak in the quick-disconnect umbilical,” the company wrote on X. “Falcon and Dragon remain healthy, and crews remain prepared for their multi-day missions to low Earth orbit.”
Those expected to join the mission include retired Air Force Lt. Col. Scott Kidd-Poteet, SpaceX engineers Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon, and billionaire adventurer Jared Isaacman. Who chartered the first commercial flight? It is scheduled to enter orbit aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon in 2021.
“Today's event was officially cancelled, @SpaceX The team is doing an amazing job ensuring all systems are 100% launch ready!” Gillis said. I wrote to X Monday.
Polaris Dawn is the first of three planned missions under Program Polaris, the human spaceflight project funded by Isaacman. In its first mission, Polaris Dawn's crew will spend up to five days in orbit, aiming to reach the highest Earth orbit ever flown and perform a spacewalk.
The spacewalk is scheduled to take place on the third day, when two crew members will don newly designed spacesuits and exit the Crew Dragon spacecraft by rope. From NBC NewsIt is located about 700 km above the Earth.
According to the program's website, the mission “aims to improve both our understanding of human health on Earth and during future long-duration spaceflight,” including other goals such as using ultrasound to detect “venous gas emboli” and collecting data to better understand the effects of space radiation on human biological systems.
According to the program's website, this will be the first time Starlink laser communications will be tested in space.
