A historic SpaceX mission, Fram2, is set to launch next week from Cape Canaveral, marking the first time humans have orbited Earth’s poles. The four-astronaut crew will embark on a three-to-five-day journey over the North and South poles, conducting human health research and capturing the first X-ray image of a human body in space.
The crew, led by mission commander Chun Wang, includes cinematographer Jannicke Mikkelsen, pilot Rabea Rogge, and medical officer Eric Philips. The Fram2 mission will fly on a SpaceX Dragon atop a Falcon 9 rocket, taking advantage of a novel flight trajectory to unlock new possibilities for human spaceflight.
The crew will utilize technology including four iPad minis, two iPhone Pro Max, three laptop computers, and a ham radio, which they will use to send images of polar regions back to Earth. The mission also includes participation in the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS International) global competition, where participants will attempt to identify historical locations from puzzle pieces.
This milestone marks the first time humans have approached the poles in space, with the exception of the Apollo lunar missions. Fram2’s success could pave the way for future research and exploration, highlighting the importance of space medicine and human health research in long-duration missions to Mars and beyond.
Source: https://eu.floridatoday.com/story/tech/science/space/spacex/2025/03/25/fram2-astronauts-will-launch-on-spacex-dragon-falcon-become-first-to-orbit-poles/82588936007