The SpaceX-operated Polaris Dawn mission is eyeing a new liftoff date this Friday morning, a recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) operations plan advisory suggests. Previously touched by a series of setbacks, the mission is now set with backup launch opportunities for Saturday and Sunday, according to the advisory dated yesterday sourced by the Houston Chronicle. Initial plans had aimed for an early Wednesday morning launch, but factors including a helium leak and adverse weather conditions have resulted in multiple reschedules.
If successful, the Polaris Dawn crew is slated to boldly push towards milestones such as conducting the first commercial spacewalk. As SpaceX continues to test the boundaries of civilian space exploration, the mission will also feature tests of laser-based communications via Starlink, a network owned by the company's CEO, Elon Musk. As SatNews reported, risks are present; the crew aims to achieve the highest Earth orbit since the Apollo era, navigating through heavy radiation and potential debris that could cause significant damage.
The mission, which was initially scheduled for departure last year, has seen an unfortunate pattern of pushbacks from November 2022 to the recent reschedule. The multi-day flight intends to carry out 36 research studies and experiments from 31 partner institutions, a serious endeavor to advance human health on Earth and in space, per information obtained by SatNews. At its core, Polaris Dawn is an experimental tapestry, weaving together the future of space habitation and interstellar communication.
The crew led by commander Jared Isaacman, who will undertake his second journey into space, also includes pilot Scott Poteet who expressed optimism for clear skies on launch day, "hopeful for a clear launch day," he said in a post cited by SatNews.
The mission's crew is rounded out by Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon, who will be making their first spaceflight. Houston native Menon, inspired since a childhood field trip, also aims to carry out a reading of her recently written children's book from space, according to the Houston Chronicle.
