Four private astronauts launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center this evening aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon, marking the first human orbital flight to circle the Earth over both the North and South Poles. This unprecedented trajectory offers a distinctive perspective of the planet from space.
The mission, named Fram2, pays tribute to the historic Norwegian vessel Fram, which played a crucial role in Arctic and Antarctic explorations at the turn of the 20th century. The privately funded crew includes Chinese-born Maltese billionaire Chun Wang, Norwegian cinematographer Jannicke Mikkelsen, German engineer and Arctic roboticist Rabea Rogge, and Australian explorer Eric Philips.
Despite concerns over weather conditions, Crew Dragon Resilience successfully lifted off at the first available opportunity at 9:46 PM ET. This marks the fourth flight of Resilience, demonstrating the reusability of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft.
Updates on the mission are being shared by SpaceX on its website and social media platforms, as well as by the four crew members, known as the “Framonauts”: Chun Wang (@satofishi) as Mission Commander, Jannicke Mikkelsen (@astro_jannicke) as Vehicle Commander, Rabea Rogge (@rprogge) as Vehicle Pilot, and Eric Philips (@Icetrek) as Mission Specialist and Medical Officer.
Mikkelsen has made history as the first Norwegian female astronaut, while Rogge is the first astronaut from Germany. Each member of the team has extensive experience in remote environments and shares a connection to Svalbard, Norway.
Chun Wang, the mission’s financier and organizer, spoke during a pre-launch briefing, expressing his lifelong fascination with pushing boundaries. Recalling his childhood curiosity about the uncharted territories of maps, he later ventured to the South Pole in 2021 and the North Pole in 2023. He
emphasized that Fram2 is not only about space travel but also about expanding human knowledge.
Unlike previous Crew Dragon missions, Fram2 will not dock with the International Space Station, limiting the mission duration to the available onboard supplies, including oxygen. Consequently, SpaceX had to ensure favorable weather conditions not just for launch but also for the return landing days later.
The mission is expected to last between 3.5 and 5.5 days, culminating in a historic splashdown off the coast of California—marking the first time a Crew Dragon will land there instead of Florida. SpaceX is shifting all Dragon splashdowns to California to better manage the disposal of the spacecraft’s unpressurized trunk, which separates during reentry and has occasionally resulted in debris landing on Earth.
Another first for this mission is the crew’s self-extraction process upon landing. Instead of being assisted out of the capsule, the astronauts will exit independently, remove their footrests, retrieve their survival gear, open the hatch, and walk to the medical bay unassisted—demonstrating the feasibility of this approach for future space travelers.
During their time in orbit, the crew will conduct 22 scientific experiments, including the first operation of an X-ray machine in space, a study on restricted blood flow exercises, and an experiment in growing oyster mushrooms—research that could have applications for long-duration missions to Mars.
Mikkelsen, a master cinematographer, will document auroras from space, collaborating with ground-based observatories and a network of 2.2 million auroral citizen scientists. Given the mission’s 90-degree orbital inclination, her imagery will provide an unparalleled view of these natural light displays. She has also worked with NASA astronaut Don Pettit, currently aboard the ISS, to optimize camera settings for capturing these phenomena.
While SpaceX livestreamed the launch and has committed to broadcasting the splashdown, additional live coverage remains uncertain. However, thanks to Starlink’s laser communication terminals, the crew has access to high-speed internet, allowing them to share real-time updates via social media.
This mission represents a major step in private space exploration, blending scientific discovery with human curiosity and technological innovation.
Add comment
Comments