The highly anticipated Polaris Dawn mission, which was set to launch on Tuesday, has been delayed due to a helium leak. The mission, funded by billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman, was supposed to be the first to include a spacewalk carried out by a civilian crew. Isaacman, along with retired Air Force Lt. Col. Scott "Kidd" Poteet and SpaceX engineers Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon, were scheduled to launch into space on a multi-day mission to low-Earth orbit.
According to SpaceX, Both vehicle and crew remain healthy for their next launch attempt tomorrow. Image Credit: SpaceX
The helium leak was detected on the ground-side Quick Disconnect umbilical, prompting SpaceX to delay the launch until Wednesday at the earliest. Despite the setback, the crew remains ready for their historic mission. The Polaris Dawn mission aims to take the Crew Dragon capsule to an altitude of 870 miles above Earth's surface, passing through the inner regions of the Van Allen radiation belt.
Helium is notoriously difficult to contain due to its extremely small atomic size, which allows it to seep through even the tiniest gaps and cracks in materials. Additionally, helium is a highly pressurized gas, making it prone to escaping through any weaknesses in the system. This combination of factors makes helium leaks particularly challenging to prevent and detect.
The Polaris Dawn mission has been years in the making, with Isaacman funding and organizing the flight through his company, Polaris Program. The mission's objectives include testing the limits of the Crew Dragon spacecraft, conducting scientific research, and pushing the boundaries of commercial spaceflight.
SpaceX has been ferrying NASA astronauts to and from the International Space Station since 2020 and carried its first private citizens into orbit in 2021 on a flight funded by Isaacman. However, this mission marks a significant step forward in commercial spaceflight, demonstrating the capabilities of private companies to conduct complex space missions.
The delay due to the helium leak is a setback for the mission, but SpaceX is working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. The company has not disclosed the exact cause of the leak or the expected duration of the delay. However, with the crew ready and the spacecraft healthy, the Polaris Dawn mission is expected to launch soon, marking a historic milestone in commercial spaceflight.
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