SpaceX announced on Aug. 12, the first human spaceflight mission, Fram2, to fly over Earth's polar regions -- the North and South poles. It will be launched by Falcon 9 from Florida, targeting a polar orbit.
Scheduled for late 2024, the mission will be led by Chinese cryptocurrency entrepreneur and adventurer Chun Wang, from Malta, and will include Jannicke Mikkelsen, a polar explorer from Norway, Eric Philips, a roboticist from Australia, and Rabea Rogge, a filmmaker from Germany. The crew will observe Earth’s polar regions from a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.
Fram2 aims to leverage insights from space physicists and citizen scientists. And the crew will conduct various research activities, including: observing Earth’s polar regions through Dragon’s cupola at an altitude of 425-450 km; studying unusual light emissions resembling auroras; capturing the first human x-ray images in space, and investigating the effects of spaceflight on the human body and behavioral health.
The mission is in honor of the Norwegian ship that made pioneering voyages to the Arctic and Antarctic between 1893 and 1912.
"Fram2 will be commanded by Chun Wang, an entrepreneur and adventurer from Malta," SpaceX wrote in a mission description. "Wang aims to use the mission to highlight the crew's explorational spirit, bring a sense of wonder and curiosity to the larger public, and highlight how technology can help push the boundaries of exploration of Earth and through the mission's research."
The mission is expected to last 3-5 days.
