SpaceX's Polaris Dawn mission reportedly experienced an hour-long loss of ground control before two private astronauts exited the Dragon crew capsule for the first commercial spacewalk in history, according to a report via Reuters.

the The Polaris Dawn mission was launched on September 10carrying a four-person crew, led by tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman. The billionaire-funded mission, aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon, reached a maximum orbital altitude of 870 miles (1,400 kilometers) above Earth, also setting a new record for Earth-orbit apogee (the farthest -the point reached from the planet) for a crew. mission. On September 12, Polaris Dawn became the first private mission to conduct a spacewalkwith two astronauts, including Isaacman, stepping out of a SpaceX capsule for a historic moment breaking new ground for commercial spaceflight.

Things may not be as smooth inside SpaceX's mission control room. An anonymous source told Reuters that a power outage at the SpaceX facility in California caused a loss of ground control, meaning the mission control team was temporarily unable to command the spacecraft. The crew of Polaris Dawn received training before launching into space, however, they were not professional astronauts.

"Not command and control is a big thing," the anonymous source told Reuters. "The whole point of having mission operators on the ground is to have the ability to respond quickly if something happens."

Because SpaceX is a private company, the issue has not been made public. Commercial space operators wishing to launch or re-enter within US borders require a license from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to ensure the safety of bystanders or nearby property on the ground, but the FAA is not responsible to the safety of the people on board. the private spacecraft. That is because a moratorium approved by Congress in 2004 temporarily barred the FAA from issuing regulations to protect the safety of people who launch into space so as not to burden the burgeoning space industry.

NASA has hired SpaceX to transport its astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard its Dragon spacecraft—the same craft used to launch the Polaris Dawn mission. SpaceX notified NASA of the loss of ground control during the private mission, according to another anonymous source who spoke to Reuters. SpaceX has been NASA's trusted commercial partner for years, launching nine crews to the orbital space station to date. In November, however, a NASA safety panel SpaceX has been warned to focus on crew safety for its commercial flights to the ISS as the company ramps up its spaceflight activities.

Chosen by President Donald Trump Billionaire space enthusiast Isaacman tapped to lead NASA as the new administrator of the space agency, which can great implications for private industry became more involved in the national space program. Hopefully by that time, crew safety will be regulated at a more formal level to prevent similar incidents from occurring. We couldn't hold our breath.