SpaceX successfully launched Fram2, marking its third private human spaceflight with the trusted Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon system. This mission introduces a new milestone by sending Crew Dragon Resilience into a polar orbit for the first time.
At 03:20 UTC, Falcon 9 lifted off from Kennedy Space Center’s LC-39A, beginning its journey to orbit. The first and second stages separated after 2 minutes, with Booster B1085, on its sixth flight, landing at LZ-1 at 1:46 UTC.
Liftoff of Fram2 and the @framonauts! pic.twitter.com/XBL5juCnHQ
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) April 1, 2025
The second stage completed its role by deploying the capsule Resilience at an altitude of 450 km. Meanwhile, the booster performed a boostaback burn to adjust its trajectory, then landed on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship. Lastly, the spacecraft entered its planned 90° polar orbit, setting the stage for the crew’s unique mission.
The four private astronauts will stay aboard Resilience for three to five days. Their mission will support polar and space environment studies, advance long-duration spaceflight and human health research, and include educational activities to engage the public.
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A crew of explorers to explore the poles
Fram2 is the first human spaceflight mission to enter a polar orbit, offering an unprecedented view of Earth’s polar regions. Named after Fram, the legendary Norwegian ship that carried explorers to the Arctic and Antarctic in the late 1800s, the mission continues the legacy of pushing into the planet’s most extreme frontiers, this time from space.
Mission Commander Chun Wang, an entrepreneur and polar explorer from Malta, has a deep passion for both space and extreme environments. As the mission’s sponsor and commander, he has worked closely with SpaceX to plan Fram2’s unique flight path, ensuring the Crew Dragon spacecraft safely navigates its first-ever polar orbit.
Vehicle Commander Jannicke Mikkelsen, a Norwegian cinematographer and polar explorer, is experienced in documenting extreme environments. She previously served as a Payload Specialist on the record-breaking One More Orbit flight and will use advanced imaging technology to capture the polar regions from space.
Mission Pilot Rabea Rogge, a German robotics researcher pursuing her PhD in Norway, has dedicated her career to studying extreme environments. Her expertise in Arctic robotics and satellite missions will be key in analyzing the unique conditions of a polar orbit.
Mission Specialist and Medical Officer Eric Philips, an Australian polar guide and adventurer, has led numerous expeditions to the North and South Poles. As co-founder of the International Polar Guides Association, he will apply his deep knowledge of human endurance in extreme conditions to spaceflight, while conducting biomedical research during the mission.
“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. We are thankful for this opportunity, and we are grateful to SpaceX for making this mission a reality”.
— Chun Wang, mission commander
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Science, education, and breathtaking views
The mission will have the panoramic cupola attachment that first flew on Inspiration4. At an altitude of 430 km, Dragon will complete a full orbit in approximately 93 minutes, flying from the North Pole to the South Pole in just over 46 minutes, 30 times faster than the One More Orbit mission did in 2019, when crew member Jannicke Mikkelsen and her team circumnavigated the Earth in a Gulfstream G650ER, setting a Guinness World Record.
Throughout the mission, the crew will use Dragon’s cupola to study Earth’s polar wilderness, leveraging insights from space physicists and citizen scientists to analyze unusual light emissions resembling auroras.
During the Fram2 mission, the crew will conduct 22 research projects, including:
- SpaceXray – The first-ever X-rays taken of humans in space, paving the way for clinical, research, and engineering applications in microgravity.
- Egress Study – Evaluating astronauts’ ability to perform unassisted functional tasks related to vehicle safety and exit procedures after varying durations in space.
- Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) Study – Demonstrating exercise using passive and active BFR systems to maintain muscle and bone health during long-duration spaceflight.
- Mission MushVroom – The first experiment to grow mushrooms in space, exploring their role in nutrition, waste reduction, and regenerative life support for Mars missions.
- Sleep and Stress Monitoring – Using the Oura Ring to track astronauts’ sleep patterns and stress levels before, during, and after spaceflight for long-term health analysis.
- Hyperfine MRI Study – Conducting immediate post-flight brain imaging to understand spaceflight-induced changes in brain anatomy.
- Diabetes and Glucose Regulation – Testing the accuracy of continuous glucose monitors in microgravity and assessing how spaceflight affects glucose regulation.
- Women’s Health Study – Utilizing the Hormona test and app to analyze how space radiation and microgravity impact female reproductive hormones.
- Space THAL – Investigating the effects of spaceflight on blood health, particularly anemia, which is critical for planning Mars missions.
- Motion Sickness Study – Quantifying motion sickness severity and its time course during gravity transitions in and out of space.
- Bone Health Study – Using advanced imaging to monitor microstructural changes in bones, integrating knowledge from missions of varying lengths to assess long-term skeletal impact.
The flight will last three to five days before Dragon splashes in the Pacific Ocean. Given the mission’s orbital period of 93 minutes, Dragon will pass over both poles approximately 31 to 52 times, offering unprecedented views and scientific opportunities over some of the most remote regions on Earth.
*Cover image credits: SpaceX via Twitter/X
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