SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, is set to push the boundaries of space exploration once again with its groundbreaking Fram2 mission.
The Fram2 mission is the first human spaceflight to orbit Earth directly over the North and South Poles. Previous crewed missions have primarily focused on middle latitudes, but this mission will take a crew of four on a Dragon spacecraft to explore the polar regions, offering an unprecedented view of our planet.
SpaceX’s official statement, released on August 12, highlighted the significance of this mission: “Falcon 9 will launch Dragon’s sixth commercial astronaut mission, Fram2, which will be the first human spaceflight mission to explore Earth from a polar orbit and fly over the Earth’s polar regions for the first time.” This bold endeavor pays tribute to the historic Norwegian ship, Fram, which famously reached both the Arctic and Antarctic between 1893 and 1912.
Scheduled to launch later this year from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Fram2 mission will span 3 to 5 days, during which the crew will observe Earth’s polar regions from a height of 425 to 450 kilometers, using Dragon’s transparent cupola. The mission’s crew includes Chun Wang, a Bitcoin entrepreneur from Malta who will command the mission, Norwegian cinematographer Jannicke Mikkelsen, Australian adventurer Eric Philips, and German robotics researcher Rabea Rogge. Notably, this will be the first spaceflight experience for all crew members.
Chun Wang’s leadership in this mission is driven by a desire to inspire the public and showcase the role of technology in advancing exploration. As SpaceX described, “Wang aims to use the mission to highlight the crew’s explorational spirit, bring a sense of wonder and curiosity to the larger public, and highlight how technology can help push the boundaries of exploration of Earth and through the mission’s research.”
Fram2’s significance extends beyond its exploratory ambitions. The mission will conduct important scientific research, including studying the mysterious STEVE (Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement) phenomenon, which manifests as green and mauve lights in the upper atmosphere. Additionally, the crew will conduct the first-ever X-ray imaging of a human in orbit, providing critical data for future long-duration space missions. The mission will also explore spaceflight’s psychological and behavioral impacts on the human body.
Furthermore, SpaceX is gearing up for another ambitious project, the Polaris Dawn mission, slated for launch on August 26. This mission, funded and commanded by billionaire tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman, aims to achieve the first commercial spacewalk at an altitude of approximately 700 kilometers.
Fram2, SpaceX’s sixth commercial astronaut mission, carries on the company’s tradition of ingenuity. SpaceX has an amazing track record of successful missions, including Inspiration4, Axiom Space’s Ax-1, Ax-2, and Ax-3 to the ISS, and now Fram2, which promises to add yet another milestone to that list.
“In the past four years, SpaceX has launched thirteen human spaceflight missions, safely flying 50 crewmembers to and from Earth’s orbit and creating new opportunities for humanity to live, work, and explore what is possible in space,” SpaceX noted.