Commercial mission plans to observe Earth’s poles from low-Earth orbit for the first time and complete 22 research experiments, among other objectives.
The Fram2 astronauts, (from left) Rabea Rogge, Eric Phillips, Chun Wang, and Jannicke Mikkelsen, don spacesuits as they gear up for their historic polar spaceflight. [Courtesy: Fram2]
Key Takeaways:
The Fram2 mission, a private human spaceflight purchased by crypto entrepreneur Chun Wang from SpaceX, is scheduled to launch next week, aiming to be the first crewed mission to fly directly over Earth's poles.
The mission will achieve a record 90-degree orbit, allowing the four international civilian astronauts to observe polar regions and study phenomena like Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancements (STEVE).
The crew will conduct 22 experiments focused on advancing humanity's capabilities for long-duration space exploration, including growing mushrooms in microgravity and taking the first X-ray images of humans in space.
Correction: A Qatar Executive Gulfstream G650ER set the record for polar circumnavigation in 46 hours and 40 minutes, rather than 46 minutes and 40 seconds as a previous version of this article stated.
Next week, a crew of private astronauts is expected to go where no one has gone before.
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Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.
