--- title: "Power Failed at SpaceX Ground Control During Space Tourist Mission" description: "In September, SpaceX's Polaris Dawn mission was already well underway way — when the power suddenly went out." date: "2024-12-19" modified: "2024-12-19" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/power-failed-spacex-space-tourist" categories: - "Space" - "SpaceX" tags: - "jared isaacman" - "polaris dawn" - "SpaceX" - "the digest" --- # Power Failed at SpaceX Ground Control During Space Tourist Mission ![In September, SpaceX's Polaris Dawn mission was already well underway way — when the power suddenly went out.]() *\Image: SpaceX\* ## Do You Copy? In September, SpaceX's Polaris Dawn mission was already well underway way — when the power suddenly went out in one of the company's facilities in California. As [*Reuters* reports](), ground control lost communications with the mission's crew, which was being led by billionaire Jared Isaacman (who, it's worth noting, recently was [named NASA administrator]() by president-elect Donald Trump.) During the mission, Isaacman [became the first private citizen]() to perform a spacewalk, venturing outside of SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft. TK says the hour-long outage never put the four astronauts at risk. Throughout, they were able to communicate with the ground via SpaceX's Starlink satellite network. Nonetheless, it sounds like a scary predicament for everybody involved. "Not having command and control is a big deal," a source familiar with the problem told *Reuters*. "The whole point of having mission operators on the ground is to have the ability to quickly respond if something happens." ## Space Blackout The fact that we haven't heard of the outage until now highlights how private space companies can operate outside the scrutiny to which space organizations like NASA are subjected. Case in point, a moratorium passed by Congress in 2004 no longer requires private operators to disclose mishaps in orbit, as *Reuters* points out. Now that Isaacman has been named administrator, as well as SpaceX CEO Elon Musk's close relationship with Trump, these rules could soon further loosen. It may be the first time the public has heard of the outage, but SpaceX did notify NASA, according to *Reuters*. The outage was caused by a power surge, which left SpaceX unable to transfer mission control to a backup facility in Florida. According to *Reuters'* sources, the astronauts would've had to fly the spacecraft themselves if the issue hadn't been resolved in time. The outage reportedly occurred before Isaacman ventured outside of the capsule. Whether we'll hear about future mishaps like this one remains unclear. Musk has become a big proponent of deregulation, and Trump has [already made it clear]() that he's willing to dump environmental rules Musk's businesses have had to abide by. Isaacman also happens to be [invested in SpaceX](), a glaring conflict of interest that will likely be of interest to Congress when it votes on whether to approve Trump's pick for NASA administrator next month. A rejection of a cabinet pick, however, has [remained extremely rare](). **More on the mission:** *[Space Tourist Alarmed When Vision Starts to Deteriorate]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()