CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — The four astronauts of SpaceX’s private Polaris Dawn mission that will perform the first commercial spacewalk are taking delays to their launch in stride.
The mission was initially slated to launch Aug. 27, but was delayed to Aug. 28 due to technical issues. Polaris Dawn was then postponed two more days, to no earlier than Friday, Aug. 30, due to splashdown weather concerns for the end of the mission. Now, the launch depends upon the completion of a mishap investigation required by the Federal Aviation Administration, which has grounded the Falcon 9 rocket after a failed booster landing attempt at sea, following a SpaceX Starlink launch early Wednesday.
Despite the multiple delays, the crew remains patient and focused on their mission. “Sometimes, the hardest journeys require the most patience, and we’re ready to wait for the right moment. We know many have traveled to see the launch, and we’re grateful for your support,” the mission’s commander and financier Jared Isaacman wrote on X late Tuesday (Aug. 27).
Isaacman explained that the delays that took place prior to the beginning of the FAA’s investigation into SpaceX’s Falcon 9 failure were made due to the nature of Polaris Dawn’s unique mission.
“Our launch criteria are heavily constrained by forecasted splashdown weather conditions. With no ISS rendezvous and limited life support consumables, we must be absolutely sure of reentry weather before launching. As of now, conditions are not favorable tonight or tomorrow, so we’ll assess day by day,” Isaacman wrote in the post.
Other crewed SpaceX launches have almost exclusively all flown to the International Space Station (ISS), where astronauts can stay for extended periods in the event of a delay in their return plans. Since it’s not traveling to the ISS, the Polaris Dawn spacecraft must carry all the crew’s provisions for the duration of their mission. So, bad weather at their return site means delaying the launch to avoid stranding the crew in space without the food and supplies they might need.
Related: SpaceX delays Polaris Dawn astronaut launch until at least Aug. 30 due to bad weather
Other crew members voiced their support of the delays on social media. “I always appreciate…
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