SpaceX has just launched its first private crew to orbit since the Polaris Dawn mission in September 2024.
A Falcon 9 rocket launched the Fram2 crew from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 9:46 p.m. ET on Monday, March 31.
SpaceX shared a clip of the rocket leaving the launchpad:
https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1906886541164855662
Minutes after launch, the first stage of the booster, flying for the sixth time, landed on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.
Aboard the Crew Dragon spacecraft is Chun Wang, an entrepreneur and adventurer from Malta who funded the Fram2 mission. Alongside him is Norwegian cinematographer Jannicke Mikkelsen, Australian polar explorer Eric Philips, and German robotics engineer Rabea Rogge. All four crew members are traveling to orbit for the first time.
Fram2 is named after the ship that helped explorers first reach Earth’s Arctic and Antarctic regions about 100 years ago. Scheduled to last up to five days, the mission will explore Earth from a polar orbit and fly over Earth’s polar regions for the first time.
The crew will also carry out 22 research studies designed to help advance humanity’s capabilities for long-duration space exploration and to gain a greater understanding of human health in space.
“Throughout Fram2’s time on-orbit, the crew are planning to take the first X-ray in space, perform exercise studies to maintain muscle and skeletal mass, and grow mushrooms in microgravity,” SpaceX said. “Additionally, after safely returning to Earth, the crew plans to exit from the Dragon spacecraft without additional medical and operational assistance, helping researchers characterize the ability of astronauts to perform unassisted functional tasks after short and long durations in space.”
The Crew Dragon last flew on the Polaris Dawn mission, which took four private crew members well beyond the altitude of the International Space Station. The spacecraft includes a glass dome that offers passengers incredible views of Earth and beyond.
For the latest updates on the Fram2 mission, be sure to check SpaceX’s social media feed.