SpaceX has postponed its highly anticipated launch of the Polaris Dawn mission, which was originally planned for no earlier than July 31, till mid-August.
The adjustment appears to be due to SpaceX prioritizing the Crew-9 mission, which aims to launch four astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) and is currently targeting August 18.
The Polaris Dawn mission will see four nonprofessional astronauts embark on a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, reaching an orbit approximately 435 miles (700 kilometers) above Earth. This altitude will take them around 185 miles (298 kilometers) above the ISS, marking the furthest distance a Crew Dragon has traveled from Earth.
The mission also aims to achieve another milestone by becoming the first to include a commercial spacewalk. This event will occur as the Crew Dragon and its crew traverse parts of the Van Allen radiation belt. Two crew members will participate in the spacewalk, which is expected to last a couple of hours and will serve to test newly designed spacesuits.
In addition to the spacewalk, the five-day Polaris Dawn mission will conduct research focused on understanding the effects of spaceflight and space radiation on human health. The mission will also be the first to test Starlink’s laser-based communications in space, a technology being developed to support future space missions to the moon, Mars, and beyond.
The mission is funded by the CEO of the payment processing firm, Shift4, and experienced pilot, Jared Isaacman. He previously led the Inspiration4 mission in 2021, the first all-civilian orbital flight.
He will be joined on the Polaris Dawn mission by Scott Poteet, a retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel with 20 years of service; Sarah Gillis, a lead space operations engineer at SpaceX responsible for overseeing astronaut training; and Anna Menon, a lead space operations engineer at SpaceX who manages the development of crew operations and serves in mission control.
In an interview with Singapore’s CNA on Saturday, Isaacman commented on the delay, stating, “We’re a little late … it’s probably late August when we’ll launch.” The mission represents a significant step forward in commercial space exploration, with a focus on advancing human spaceflight capabilities and technologies.
