SpaceX launch of private spacewalk mission once again scrubbed

Polaris Dawn mission commander says good weather is essential as there is ‘no ISS rendezvous and limited life support consumables’

A SpaceX Dragon spacecraft sits atop a Falcon 9 rocket at Nasa’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida on 27 August, 2024, ahead of the launch of the Polaris Dawn mission (SpaceX/ Sarah Gillis)

SpaceX has once again delayed the launch of a potentially historic mission that will see a four-person crew attempt the first ever private spacewalk.

A helium leak at the launch site of the Polaris Dawn mission at Nasa’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida pushed back Tuesday’s attempt, while poor weather forced SpaceX to stand down from the backup launch time on Wednesday.

“Due to unfavourable weather forecasted in Dragon’s splashdown areas off the coast of Florida, we are now standing down from tonight and tomorrow’s Falcon 9 launch opportunities of Polaris Dawn,” SpaceX wrote in a statement to X.

“Teams will continue to monitor weather for favourable launch and return conditions.”

SpaceX did not name a new launch time for the Polaris Dawn mission, though had previously said that Thursday might be a possibility after scrubbing Tuesday’s attempt.

The four-person crew of the Polaris Dawn mission will launch atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on Tuesday, 27 August, 2024 (Polaris/ SpaceX)

The spacewalk is expected to take place three days into the mission, with the primary objective being to test SpaceX’s new Extra-Vehicular Activity (EVA) suits.

These EVA suits are designed to take humans further into space than they’ve ever been before, capable of withstanding the harsh radiation that the astronauts will be exposed to within the Van Allen belts that the Polaris Dawn craft will pass through.

The mission is being led by tech billionaire Jared Isaacman, who is also personally funding the five-day venture. He is the only member of the four-person crew to have travelled to space before, having flown aboard a Crew Dragon craft on another self-funded mission in 2021.

Following the latest delay, Mr Isaacman said the crew would continue to spend time in pre-flight quarantine while the issue is resolved.

“Our launch criteria are heavily constrained by forecasted splashdown weather conditions. With no ISS rendezvous and limited life support consumables, we must be absolutely sure of reentry weather before launching,” he wrote on X.

“As Elon mentioned, Polaris Dawn is a challenging mission with critical objectives, so we’ll wait for the best opportunity to ensure success. Sometimes, the hardest journeys require the most patience, and we’re ready to wait for the right moment. We know many have traveled to see the launch, and we’re grateful for your support. Alongside SpaceX, we’ll do our best to keep you updated.”