SpaceX has postponed its mission to launch an all-civilian crew for the first-ever private spacewalk.
The Polaris Dawn mission, set to depart from NASA’s space center in Florida early Wednesday morning, has been delayed due to an “unfavorable weather forecast” for the capsule’s splashdown areas.
The launch was initially canceled on Tuesday because of a helium leak affecting the rocket’s connection to the launch tower. The new launch date remains uncertain.
Fin-tech billionaire Jared Isaacman, founder of payment firm Shift4 and primary backer of the Polaris Dawn mission, is spearheading the effort to achieve the milestone of a private spacewalk.
While he has not disclosed his investment amount, Isaacman has been pivotal in organizing and funding the project with SpaceX.
The mission will use a SpaceX Dragon capsule attached to a Falcon 9 rocket to reach altitudes of up to 1,400 km (870 miles), a height not achieved by any crewed mission since NASA’s Apollo program.
The crew, led by Isaacman, includes retired US Air Force pilot Scott Poteet, and SpaceX engineers Anna Menon and Sarah Gillis. The team has undergone two years of extensive training.
Isaacman, who previously funded and participated in the Inspiration4 mission in 2021, is also set to captain the Polaris Dawn crew.
The mission plans a six-day stay in space, with the private spacewalk scheduled for the third day.
Isaacman and Gillis will conduct the spacewalk approximately 700 km above Earth, utilizing SpaceX’s upgraded spacesuits equipped with displays and helmet cameras.
In addition to the spacewalk, the crew will conduct tests on Starlink internet communication and study the effects of traveling through the Van Allen radiation belts.
