Elon Musk’s Polaris Dawn Mission Delayed Again Due to Weather; Spacewalk at 700 km

SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn mission has been postponed once more due to adverse weather conditions. The mission has been delayed by two days, with no new start date provided yet. The Polaris Dawn mission involves four astronauts who are set to conduct a spacewalk approximately 700 km above Earth. This will be the world’s first private spacewalk.

The 5-day mission will involve astronauts visiting an orbit that has not been accessed by any astronaut for over 50 years. Originally scheduled for launch at 4:08 PM on Tuesday, the mission was delayed by one day due to a helium leak. It was then set for launch on Wednesday afternoon, but adverse weather conditions have caused another delay.

Mission Objective: Spacewalk and Human Health Experiments

During the mission, the Dragon capsule will attempt to reach altitudes not achieved since the Apollo program. Two astronauts will perform the first private extravehicular activity (spacewalk) during this time, wearing EVA suits developed by SpaceX.

The mission will also involve 36 research studies and experiments related to human health. Additionally, a space-based test of Starlink’s laser communication will be conducted. This will be the first time that two SpaceX employees will be part of a human spaceflight crew.

Spacewalk Duration: 20-Minute Spacewalk 700 km Above Earth

On the third day of the mission, astronauts Jared Isaacman and Sarah Gillis will perform a spacewalk 700 km above Earth, lasting 15-20 minutes. The entire process will take approximately 2 hours. Before the spacewalk, the crew will undergo a “pre-breathing” process to fill the cabin with pure oxygen and remove any nitrogen traces. Nitrogen in the bloodstream can cause blockages and potentially lead to decompression sickness.

Falcon 9: The World’s First Reusable Orbital-Class Rocket

The Falcon 9 is a reusable, two-stage rocket designed by SpaceX to transport people and payloads to and from Earth’s orbit. It is the world’s first reusable orbital-class rocket. The Dragon spacecraft is capable of carrying 7 astronauts into space and is the only private spacecraft that can transport humans to and from the space station. The first test flight of Dragon took place in 2010.

Polaris Program: Polaris Dawn is the First of Three Planned Missions

Polaris Dawn is the first of three planned missions in the Polaris Program, funded by Isaacman. If all goes according to plan, the third Polaris flight will be the first crewed mission of Starship. Starship is the world’s most powerful rocket, currently undergoing testing.