SpaceX launched its latest mission, Fram2, on Monday, carrying a crew of four to orbit above Earth’s North and South poles in a historic feat. The mission, led by Malta resident Chun Wang, who paid an undisclosed sum for the trip, is the first time a human spaceflight has orbited directly above the poles.
The Falcon 9 rocket launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 9:46 p.m. ET and took a unique southward path, tracing the trajectory of no previous human spaceflight mission. The crew capsule will travel over 17,500 miles per hour to reach orbital speeds, putting the four astronauts on a path to directly orbit above Earth’s poles.
Joining Wang are Norwegian film director Jannicke Mikkelsen, Germany-based robotics researcher Rabea Rogge, and Australian adventurer Eric Philips. All four crew members are traveling to space for the first time and have undergone extensive training in preparation for the mission.
The unusual trajectory was chosen to honor the group’s interest in polar exploration. The mission is not designed for scientific research, but rather to showcase a distinctive and exciting experience. SpaceX has flown satellites into polar orbit from Florida before, but this is the first human spaceflight to do so.
Fram2 marks a significant milestone in commercial space travel, with private providers making space travel increasingly routine. The crew will carry out 22 research experiments during their time in space, focusing on evaluating crew health and comfort.
The group has undergone extensive training, including sequestering in harsh environments in Alaska and at SpaceX’s headquarters in California. Wang remains calm about the upcoming mission, stating that he is “following procedures” and has completed all necessary preparations.
This historic polar orbit mission sets a new benchmark for commercial space travel, demonstrating the capabilities of private providers to push the boundaries of human spaceflight.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/03/31/science/fram2-launch-spacex-dragon/index.html