SpaceX has delayed the launch of the extremely anticipated Polaris Daybreak mission by 24 hours whereas engineers look right into a ground-side helium leak.
The Elon Musk-led spaceflight firm had been hoping to launch the all-civilian flight on Tuesday at 3:38 a.m. ET, however it’s now concentrating on the identical time on Wednesday.
SpaceX stated in an announcement on social media on Monday — posted about seven hours earlier than the unique focused launch time — that groups had been “taking a better look” on the situation whereas including that the Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft, in addition to the 4 crew members, remained in good condition.
“Groups are taking a better have a look at a ground-side helium leak on the Fast Disconnect umbilical,” SpaceX stated within the submit on X (previously Twitter). “Falcon and Dragon stay wholesome and the crew continues to be prepared for his or her multi-day mission to low Earth orbit. Subsequent launch alternative is not any sooner than Wednesday, August 28.”
All techniques are trying good for tomorrow’s Falcon 9 launch of Polaris Daybreak. Webcast will go reside ~3.5 hours forward of liftoff on Tuesday, August 27 → https://t.co/WpSw0gzeT0 pic.twitter.com/81xlzKZ9VV
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) August 26, 2024
A lot pleasure surrounds the five-day Polaris Daybreak mission as it can see SpaceX’s Crew Dragon car fly about 435 miles (700 km) from Earth, additional than it’s ever flown earlier than. This additionally implies that the capsule shall be taking people to the furthest level from Earth because the remaining Apollo mission in 1972.
The mission will even see the primary business spacewalk involving non-professional astronauts. Throughout their time exterior the spacecraft, Jared Isaacman and Sarah Gillis will check out model new spacesuits that may be used for future missions to the moon.
There’s clearly lots driving on the mission, and so fingers crossed that SpaceX engineers can resolve the present situation and launch on Wednesday morning.
