Space exploration company SpaceX is preparing for a mission that will mark the first spacewalk on a privately-funded space flight.
Initially, the Dragon spacecraft was set to launch on the Polaris Dawn mission early on August 27 (local time) from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
However, SpaceX has just announced a postponement of this mission by at least 24 hours due to the detection of a helium leak.
SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket on the launch pad. (Photo credit: space.com).
In a social media post on X late on August 26 (local time), SpaceX stated that engineers are investigating the helium leak phenomenon at the quick disconnect connecting the Falcon 9 rocket to the launch tower. Although helium is not the propellant for the Falcon 9 engine—which uses kerosene and liquid oxygen as fuel—helium is crucial for maintaining pressure in the rocket’s fuel lines.
According to SpaceX, despite the incident, the Falcon rocket and Dragon spacecraft remain in good condition. The crew is still prepared to carry out the multi-day mission to low Earth orbit. The launch is now scheduled for 3:38 AM on August 28, Eastern Daylight Time (14:38 on the same day in Vietnam), with backup launch windows at 5:23 AM and 7:09 AM on the same day.
Polaris Dawn is the first of three missions in the Polaris Program, a spaceflight initiative funded by billionaire Jared Isaacman. The astronauts participating in this mission include Mr. Isaacman—mission commander—and former U.S. Air Force Colonel Scott “Kidd” Poteet, along with two SpaceX engineers, Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon.
The astronauts will conduct 36 research studies and experiments from 31 partner organizations designed to improve human health on Earth and during long-duration space flights. They will also test the Starlink laser communication system in space. Notably, on the third day of the mission, Mr. Isaacman and Ms. Gillis are expected to perform the first-ever spacewalk on a privately-funded space flight.
The mission also aims to reach an altitude of about 1,400 kilometers above Earth, surpassing the height of any crewed mission since Apollo 17 in 1972.