SpaceX is getting ready for a historic space mission, the first human spaceflight directly over Earth’s polar regions. It is called Fram2. This is a privately funded mission that will send four astronauts on a multi-day journey through a unique orbital path that’s never been taken by a crewed spacecraft before.
A Mission Inspired by Polar Exploration
The name “Fram2” pays tribute to the original Fram, which was a Norwegian ship from the 19th century that braved both Arctic and Antarctic expeditions. Just like those early explorers, the Fram2 crew aims to break new ground, this time, in space.
Mission commander Chun Wang, a Maltese adventurer born in China and co-founder of crypto firms f2pool and skatefish, said:
“With the same pioneering spirit as early polar explorers, we aim to bring back new data and knowledge to advance the long-term goals of space exploration.”
Experiments in Space: From X-rays to Mushrooms
The team has a busy scientific agenda during their approximately four-day mission. Highlights include:
- Taking the first X-ray in space, which could pave the way for future deep-space medical diagnostics.
- Growing mushrooms in microgravity, to help researchers understand how fungi behave in space and potentially contributes to sustainable life-support systems on missions to Mars and beyond.
Meet the Crew
Besides Chun Wang, the crew includes:
- Jannicke Mikkelsen (Norway) – Vehicle commander and film director
- Rabea Rogge (Germany) – Mission pilot and robotics researcher
- Eric Philips (Australia) – Mission specialist and polar explorer
Together, they trained for eight months, including a survival expedition in Alaska to simulate close-quarter living under extreme conditions.
When and Where to Watch
The mission will lift off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule on a Falcon 9 rocket.
Launch windows:
- Monday, 9:46 pm (ET)
- 11:20 pm (ET)
- Tuesday, 12:53 am and 2:26 am (ET)
SpaceX noted that additional windows may open if necessary.
Challenging Boundaries of Human Endurance
When they return to Earth, the Fram2 crew will attempt to exit the spacecraft without help from medical personnel. This is part of a study to see how well astronauts function after days in space, providing valuable data for longer missions, like those to Mars.
First Crewed Polar Flight in History
While Apollo missions briefly ventured outside typical orbits, no crewed spacecraft, not even the International Space Station, has flown directly over both poles. Fram2 will be the first to do so, opening new possibilities for future orbital missions.
SpaceX’s Private Flight Legacy
This is SpaceX’s sixth private astronaut mission, following successful ventures like Inspiration4 and Polaris Dawn. Both were led by billionaire Jared Isaacman, a close associate of Elon Musk and a recent nominee by Donald Trump for NASA administrator.
With Fram2, SpaceX continues pushing boundaries, this time with a journey that blends scientific discovery, private innovation, and the spirit of exploration.
