2024-08-27 05:24:47
The company SpaceX announced on Monday the postponement of at least 24 hours of the first private space mission planning a spacewalk, which was set to launch on Tuesday from Florida, due to a “helium leak.”
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This unprecedented flight will allow private passengers for the first time to exit their module to move in space, protected only by their suits.
However, “the teams (from SpaceX) are closely examining a helium leak on the ground,” the company of Elon Musk wrote on X.
Helium is a non-flammable gas, typically used to pressurize rocket fuels.
The mission, named Polaris Dawn, has therefore been postponed by 24 hours, to 3:38 AM local time on Wednesday in Florida (7:38 AM GMT). The launch could be delayed again, either later on Wednesday or Thursday at the same time, SpaceX warned.
Four people are set to have the chance to be the first private travelers to temporarily leave their spacecraft.
Two of the future passengers are SpaceX employees, Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon. They will be accompanied by commander and American billionaire Jared Isaacman and pilot Scott Poteet, who is a close associate of the businessman.
Mr. Isaacman has already been to space in 2021 aboard another SpaceX mission he chartered, Inspiration4, for which he was trained by Ms. Gillis.
Unprecedented Mission
The four adventurers have undergone intensive preparation for this five-day mission.
It includes three main objectives, in addition to a series of experiments conducted aboard.
First, to reach an altitude of 1,400 kilometers, the farthest distance for a crew since the Apollo lunar missions. By comparison, the International Space Station (ISS) operates at around 400 kilometers in altitude.
A laser communication test is also planned between the spacecraft and SpaceX’s Starlink satellites.
But above all, once in a lower orbit, the famous spacewalk is to be broadcast live.
The spacecraft – the Dragon capsule – is not equipped with an airlock, so the entire crew will be exposed to the vacuum of space when its hatch is opened. Two passengers will remain on board while the other two will take turns venturing outside.
After this first mission of the Polaris program, a second, similar mission is planned. A third is expected to be the first crewed flight of SpaceX’s mega-rocket Starship, currently in development, intended for trips to the Moon and Mars.