Crewed SpaceX Mission Delayed by Ground Equipment Leak: A Closer Look

A helium leak in ground equipment at Kennedy Space Center has postponed SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn mission. This delay affects the highly anticipated 20-minute private spacewalk. Additionally, NASA faces scrutiny as it sends Boeing's Starliner capsule home without astronauts, raising questions about Boeing’s future in space missions.

The launch of SpaceX's Polaris Dawn mission is postponed due to a helium leak in ground equipment at Kennedy Space Center. Originally set to lift off with a Crew Dragon capsule, the mission will now be delayed by at least a day.

The Polaris Dawn crew's notable objective includes a groundbreaking 20-minute spacewalk 700 km above earth, marking history's first private spacewalk. Managed privately, this endeavor involves two crew members venturing out of their capsule in tethered spacesuits.

In a related issue, NASA has decided to return Boeing's Starliner capsule without astronauts, following a series of technical problems and costly overruns totaling $1.6 billion. This move has added to the pressure on Boeing's struggling space unit.

(With inputs from agencies.)