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Polaris Dawn: 4 astronauts set to launch on Falcon 9 rocket early Tuesday morning from Florida

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Published  September 8, 2024 10:30pm EDT
Air and Space
FOX 35 Orlando

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SpaceX is gearing up for the launch of Falcon 9, which is expected to carry the Polaris Dawn mission to low-Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Initially planned for late August, the launch was pushed to Tuesday, September 10. A launch window will open at 3:38 a.m. ET. 

SpaceX said the mission was delayed again due to an unfavorable weather forecast in Dragon’s splashdown areas off the coast of Florida. This weather also impacted a backup launch opportunity for Thursday, Aug. 29.

Polaris Dawn now set to launch on Monday morning

SpaceX is gearing up to launch Falcon 9, which is expected to carry the Polaris Dawn mission to low-Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

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FOX 35 will stream the launch live on Good Day Orlando, FOX Local, our news app, and in the above video player when it begins. 

What is the mission?

"This Dragon mission will take advantage of Falcon 9 and Dragon’s maximum performance, flying higher than any Dragon mission to date and endeavoring to reach the highest Earth orbit ever flown," Polaris Dawn said. "Orbiting through portions of the Van Allen radiation belt, Polaris Dawn will conduct research with the aim of better understanding the effects of spaceflight and space radiation on human health."

BOZEMAN, MT - SEPTEMBER 16: The Polaris Dawn flight crew (L-R) Mission Commander Jared Isaacman, Mission pilot Scott Poteet, mission specialist and medical officer Anna Menon and mission specialist Sarah Gillis gather to do a board a zero gravity pla

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The crew will try the first commercial spacewalk using SpaceX's specially designed EVA spacesuit. Creating a base on the Moon and a city on Mars will need thousands of spacesuits, so developing this suit and performing the EVA are crucial steps toward a scalable design for future long-term missions.

The Polaris Dawn crew will be the first to also test Starlink's laser communication system in space, collecting crucial data for future lunar, Mars and deep space missions.

Polaris Dawn launch forecast 

While it is still too early to know if SpaceX will proceed with its early Monday morning launch of the Polaris Dawn mission, the FOX Model forecasts unsettled weather over Cape Canaveral.

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