Polaris Dawn Mission Launch Postponed Due to Bad Weather

The Polaris Dawn mission, funded by American billionaire Jared Isaacman, has been delayed due to bad weather. Isaacman, who previously flew on the Crew Dragon spacecraft in 2021, is set to participate in the first-ever private spacewalk during this mission. He will be joined by specialist Sarah Gillis, and the operation will feature new SpaceX spacesuits.

The mission also aims to break the record for the highest orbital altitude achieved by a manned near-Earth mission, with the spacecraft planned to reach a distance of 1,400 km from Earth. At its apogee, Crew Dragon will pass through sections of Earth’s inner radiation belt. Many of the mission’s experiments are focused on studying the effects of high-altitude spaceflight and increased radiation levels on the human body.

Originally scheduled for launch on August 27, Polaris Dawn was postponed due to a helium leak. A second attempt on August 28 was also halted, this time due to an unfavorable weather forecast in the splashdown area off the coast of Florida, where the mission is expected to end five days after launch.

SpaceX has announced that Polaris Dawn will not launch on August 28 or 29. The next possible launch date is August 30, but this has yet to be confirmed, raising the possibility that the mission may not launch until September.