Polaris Dawn: Will She Stay or Will She Go?

SpaceX plans to launch Polaris Dawn early tomorrow morning from Pad LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center, with four astronauts aboard a Crew Dragon. Following weeks of recent weather delays and continued unsettled weather, the mission has a 40% chance of lifting off tomorrow, according to SpaceX.

The launch is scheduled for 3:38 AM EDT, with two additional launch opportunities within a four-hour window at 5:23 AM EDT and 7:09 AM EDT. If, for some reason, the launch does not happen tomorrow morning, backup opportunities are available on Wednesday, September 11th at the same times.

Booster B1083 will be making its fourth flight on this mission. It has been in service since March, 2024 when it launched the Crew-8 mission from KSC. Its two other flights were Starlink missions.

At A Glance

• Mission: Polaris Dawn
• Date: NET September 10, 2024
• Launch Window: 03:38 AM – 07:09 AM EDT*
• Weather: 40% Go during the primary launch window
• Organization: SpaceX / Polaris Program
• Rocket: Falcon 9
• Trajectory: Northeast
• Launch Site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center
• Booster Landing: ASDS ‘ Just Read the Instructions’
• Payload: Crew Dragon ‘Resilience’ with four crew members
• Destination: LEO
  
  ^{* consult SpaceX website for the specific target for T-0.}

Weather

As of 08:00 AM EDT, September 9, 2024, the 45th Weather Wing has not released their official launch forecast. It should come out later today. SpaceX released the following statement on X.com last night:

“Weather is currently 40% favorable for liftoff, and conditions at the possible splashdown sites for Dragon’s return to Earth remain a watch item.”

–SpaceX

Trajectory

Northeastwards, at around 51.8 degrees.

Launch spectators on the southeastern coast may get a view of the launch as it ascends from Kennedy Space Center — depending on local conditions and clouds between them and the rocket.

Payload

Crew Dragon Resilience, with four astronauts aboard: Jared Isaacman, Mission Commander; Scott “Kidd” Poteet, Mission Pilot; Sarah Gillis, Mission Specialist; and Anna Menon, Mission Specialist and Medical Officer.

Learn more about the astronauts:
Meet The Crew of Polaris Dawn

Resilience will be familiar to Jared Isaacman, he flew aboard it during the Inspiration 4 mission.

Online Viewing

SpaceCoastLaunchCalendar.com will have a livestream of the launch if you’re not able to watch the launch in person: Livestream

SpaceX will have a livestream of the launch on their website: Polaris Dawn. This will also be available on the X platform. Coverage will start about 3.5 hours prior to liftoff.

Spaceflight Now will have coverage of the launch starting about one hour before liftoff on Youtube: link

For official updates regarding launch times, SpaceX.com is the best source of information. Starlink launch times change from time to time, and the company generally updates their website within minutes of the decision to change the launch time. This is very handy if none of the streaming options on YouTube have started their broadcasts.

Remember that there is a delay between a launch stream and the actual countdown clock. That is simply because of physics: it takes time for the signal to travel from the launch site, through the Internet, and back down to your phone, resulting in a five to fifteen-second delay.

Next Space Flight an app for iOS and Android phones, has a real-time countdown clock that is accurate to a second, give or take. The app is free. Search the App Store or Google Play. They are also on the web: nextspaceflight.com.

Launch Viewing: In Person

Given that this is a launch from Kennedy Space Center with no booster return to the Cape, Max Brewer Bridge and the northern Tistusville parks on Washington Avenue (US1) are your best bets: Space View Park, Rotary Riverview Park and others.

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and Cape Canaveral National Seashore will be closed for the evening, but if the launch pushes past 6AM EDT, those areas should be open.

Note: This article was written by FMN’s Charles Boyer for TalkofTitusville.com and first appeared there.