CALIFORNIA: The launch of SpaceX’s four-person Polaris Dawn mission has been postponed by at least a day due to a helium leak in ground equipment at the Kennedy Space Centre, the company announced on Tuesday, just hours before the scheduled lift-off of its Crew Dragon capsule.

The mission, which was originally set to launch on Tuesday, is now targeting a new launch time of 03:38 (07:38 GMT/11:38 UAE) on Wednesday. SpaceX shared this update on X, stating, “Teams are taking a closer look at a ground-side helium leak.” Despite the delay, SpaceX assured that both the Falcon 9 booster and the Crew Dragon capsule remain in good condition, and the crew is ready for their multi-day journey in low-Earth orbit.

One of the mission’s most anticipated moments is a spacewalk, planned to take place two days after launch. This 20-minute event will occur at an altitude of 434 miles (700 km) above Earth, marking history’s first private spacewalk. Until now, only government astronauts have conducted spacewalks, typically from the International Space Station, where they regularly don spacesuits to carry out maintenance and inspections.

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The Polaris Dawn mission represents a significant step in the ongoing commercialisation of space, demonstrating the growing capabilities of private companies like SpaceX to perform complex missions previously reserved for government space agencies. The success of this mission could pave the way for more private space exploration activities, further expanding the possibilities for human space travel and exploration in the coming years.