CAPE CANAVERAL, FL – In a groundbreaking first for space exploration, Fram2, an all-civilian crew is attempting a feat that even professional astronauts have never tried: orbiting Earth from pole to pole.
SpaceX Launches Fram2 Mission from Kennedy Space Center
On Monday night, at 9:46 p.m. ET, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket successfully lifted off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, carrying the Crew Dragon Resilience into a 90-degree polar orbit.
Over the next three to five days, the autonomous Dragon spacecraft will travel continuously between the North and South Poles, reaching an altitude of 267 miles (430 km). With each orbit lasting only 46 minutes, the crew will have an unprecedented view of Earth’s polar regions.
Meet the Fram2 Crew
The privately funded mission is led by Maltese cryptocurrency entrepreneur Chun Wang, who is joined by:
- Jannicke Mikkelsen (Norway) – A film director and cinematographer, specializing in filming in hazardous and remote environments. She serves as vehicle commander for the mission.
- Rabea Rogge (Germany) – A robotics researcher from Berlin, serving as pilot of the Fram2 mission.
- Eric Philips (Australia) – A professional polar adventurer and guide, acting as mission specialist and medical officer.
This marks the first spaceflight for all four crew members.
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Scientific Goals and Firsts in Space
The Fram2 mission is named after Fram, the legendary Norwegian polar exploration ship, meaning “forward.” According to the Fram2 website, the team’s objectives include:
- Capturing the first high-resolution images of Earth’s polar regions from low-Earth orbit.
- Performing 22 scientific experiments, including:
- The first X-ray of a human body in space.
- Studying muscle and skeletal loss in microgravity.
- Growing mushrooms in space for potential future use in long-duration missions.
“After extensive training and dedication from our entire crew, we are honored to continue the legacy of the Fram name in an exciting era of commercial space exploration,” said Chun Wang.
“We are excited to be the first crew to view and capture Earth’s polar regions from low-Earth orbit while supporting research that will help advance humanity’s future in space.”
Falcon 9 Booster Recovered for Future Missions
After launching the crew, the Falcon 9’s first-stage booster successfully landed on a SpaceX droneship in the Atlantic Ocean, making it available for reuse in future missions.
Mission Timeline and Historic Landing
Fram2 is expected to spend nearly four days in orbit, with an exact landing date yet to be announced.
However, SpaceX has confirmed that this will mark the first-ever west coast recovery of a Dragon crew. The Crew Dragon Resilience will splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the southern California coast.
Notably, this is the fourth flight of this Dragon capsule, continuing SpaceX’s commitment to reusable spacecraft in advancing commercial space travel.
With history being made at every turn, the Fram2 mission represents a new frontier for private spaceflight, scientific discovery, and the future of human exploration beyond Earth.
