The mission will be led by an international crew of four astronauts: Mission Commander Chun Wang from Malta, Vehicle Commander Jannicke Mikkelsen from Norway, Mission Pilot Rabea Rogge from Germany, and Mission Medical Officer Eric Philips from Australia.
Days after it returned astronauts Sunita Williams and Crew-9 from the Space Station, SpaceX is set to make history with its upcoming Fram2 mission.
The mission is scheduled to launch on March 31, 2025, at 11:20 PM EDT from NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.
This mission will mark the first human spaceflight to traverse Earth’s polar regions, utilising a Falcon 9 rocket and a Crew Dragon capsule.
The mission will be led by an international crew of four astronauts: Mission Commander Chun Wang from Malta, Vehicle Commander Jannicke Mikkelsen from Norway, Mission Pilot Rabea Rogge from Germany, and Mission Medical Officer Eric Philips from Australia.
All crew members are first-time space travellers, selected by Wang to continue the legacy of the Norwegian ship Fram, which explored the Arctic and Antarctic in the late 19th century.
WHAT WILL FRAM2 DO IN SPACE?
Fram2 aims to achieve a unique 90-degree circular orbit, significantly steeper than previous human missions, which typically orbit at around 51.6 degrees.
The team will carry out 22 research experiments pertaining to long-duration spaceflight and human health over their three- to five-day voyage.
Notable research includes trying to grow mushrooms in microgravity as a possible food source for upcoming flights to Mars and taking the first X-ray pictures of humans in space.
As they fly over the poles, the crew will also look at enigmatic light emissions called Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancements (STEVE).
Through programs like the Fram2Ham competition, which allows amateur radio amateurs to decode photographs beamed from orbit, this project will not only increase scientific understanding but also engage the public.
Chun Wang emphasized the mission’s potential to improve humanity’s capabilities for future exploration as anticipation for this historic launch grows. He expressed thanks for the chance to explore and take pictures of Earth’s polar regions.
Scientific research and commercial space exploration have advanced significantly with the Fram2 mission.
The International Space Station has been visited by three of SpaceX’s five prior private astronaut trips, therefore this is not the company’s first private mission.
These were the Ax-1, Ax-2, and Ax-3 missions, which were coordinated by Axiom Space, a Houston-based business.
The other two were free fliers in Earth’s orbit; for example, Fram2 will be referred to as Inspiration 1 and 2 missions, which witnessed the first assisted spacewalk by private astronauts.
