SpaceX has delayed its launch of the Polaris Dawn mission, which aimed to feature the first-ever spacewalk by private citizens.
The mission was set to depart from NASA’s space center in Florida early Wednesday morning.
However, SpaceX announced the delay hours before the scheduled launch, citing an “unfavorable weather forecast” for the capsule’s splashdown areas.
The timing for the next launch attempt remains uncertain. The earlier attempt on Tuesday was canceled due to a helium leak on the line connecting the tower to the rocket.
Fin-tech billionaire Jared Isaacman, founder of payment firm Shift 4, has been the key driver behind the private spaceflight. He aims to be the first non-professional astronaut to complete a private spacewalk and has largely organized and funded the project in collaboration with SpaceX. He has not disclosed the amount of his investment.
The Polaris project employs a SpaceX Dragon capsule attached to a Falcon 9 rocket to transport the crew. The mission aims to reach altitudes of up to 1,400 km (870 miles), potentially marking the highest altitude achieved by any crewed mission since NASA’s Apollo program over 50 years ago.
Isaacman is also serving as the mission’s captain, leading a crew that includes his close friend and retired US Air Force pilot Scott Poteet, along with SpaceX engineers Anna Menon and Sarah Gillis. All four crew members have dedicated two years to training, investing thousands of hours in simulated drills.
Mr Isaacman has also gone to space before, reportedly paying $200m (£151m) to be on the first all-civilian orbital mission run by SpaceX in 2021, known as the Inspiration4 mission.
The Polaris Dawn mission plans to spend six days in space, with the spacewalk scheduled for the third day.
During this spacewalk, Mr. Isaacman and Ms. Gillis will exit the spacecraft while wearing SpaceX’s upgraded spacesuits, which are equipped with displays and helmet cameras. The spacewalk, set to occur at an altitude of 700 km, is expected to last approximately two hours.
In addition to the spacewalk, the crew will conduct several high-altitude tests, including communication with Starlink internet satellites and observations of the effects of passing through the Van Allen radiation belt, a highly charged area of space.