Live updates on SpaceX Polaris Dawn: Billionaire attempts first private spacewalk from SpaceX Dragon

SpaceX just released a statement saying that today’s spacewalk attempt was planned but has been delayed.

The attempt has been postponed by about three hours, but there is still an option for an alternative tomorrow morning.

“All systems look good for the Polaris Dawn crew to conduct the first spacewalk from Dragon today,” the company said, adding that the live stream will begin at 4:55 a.m. ET (9:55 a.m. BST).

Have you ever wondered what a sunset looks like from 700 kilometers above the Earth? Polaris Dawn has it for you:

There is less than an hour until the spacewalk attempt. You will be able to watch the live stream shortly.

In case you missed it, you can watch the moment the Polaris Dawn mission lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Tuesday:

We’ll begin broadcasting the spacewalk live stream at approximately 1:20 a.m. ET (6:20 a.m. BST), with the experiment itself occurring an hour later.

A billionaire’s privately funded spacewalk is as polarizing as it is groundbreaking.

The Polaris Dawn mission, operated by SpaceX but funded by US entrepreneur Jared Isaacman, is the latest in a series of commercial ventures to open up space to anyone rich enough to pay for it. Previous private spaceflights have been hailed by some as heralding a new era of space access, and derided by others as the latest folly of smug billionaires.

Yet this mission is a massive step away from the boastful joy trips to the edge of space taken by Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson, who have squandered their billions on implausible attempts to call themselves astronauts. (Although Blue Origin repeatedly referred to Bezos as an “international astronaut” during his 10-minute flight to the Kármán Line in 2021, the trip did not meet the Federal Aviation Administration’s astronaut criteria, which state that crew members must participate in activities “essential to public safety or contributing to the safety of human spaceflight.”)

In contrast, Polaris Dawn will travel more than 10 times farther than Blue Origin or Virgin Galactic, taking days rather than minutes. SpaceX says the mission will provide more than just a pretty view for the crew, but will also provide “valuable insight for future missions on the path to creating multiplanetary life,” alluding to Elon Musk’s ambition to colonize Mars.

You can read why this mission could actually be important here:

Tuesday’s launch of Polaris Dawn was SpaceX’s 90th orbital mission this year, just six short of the company’s record number to be achieved in 2023.

Elon Musk plans at least a dozen more launches by the end of 2024, more than all of his competitors combined.

The richest person in the world also controls almost two-thirds of all active satellites via his Starlink internet network, making himself a space superpower.

Last week I spoke to advocacy groups and astronomers who warned that using such power could pose a serious problem. You can read more about it here:

Today, SpaceX’s Dragon capsule, carrying its four-person crew, reached an altitude of 1,400 kilometers (870 miles) – farther than any human has traveled since the Apollo program more than 50 years ago.

Tomorrow morning, two members of the Polaris Dawn crew – billionaire Jared Isaacman and SpaceX employee Sarah Gillis – will attempt something no private civilian has ever attempted before: a spacewalk.

If necessary, a replacement option will be available so that the couple can attempt the daring feat at the same time on Friday, September 13th.

for the Independent’s live coverage of the first purely civilian spacewalk.

On Thursday at 2:23 a.m. ET (7:23 a.m. BST), two Polaris Dawn crew members will exit the SpaceX Dragon capsule in a historic attempt.

We’ll bring you the latest news and updates on the Polaris Dawn mission, as well as a live stream of the event, which will be available one hour before it begins.