CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – SpaceX is preparing for a historic launch of the Fram2 mission, which will be the first human spaceflight to the Earth’s polar regions.
One of the mission’s tasks includes taking first X-ray in space
What we know:
SpaceX is preparing for a historic launch of the Fram2 mission, scheduled for Monday, March 31, at 9:46 p.m. ET from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The mission has additional launch opportunities within a 4.5-hour window and backup dates available on Tuesday, April 1.
Fram2 will be the first human spaceflight to Earth’s polar regions, a milestone in 64 years of space travel. If the launch proceeds on schedule, it will set a record turnaround time for human spaceflight from Launch Complex 39A, coming just 17 days after Crew 10’s departure.
Meet Fram2 crew
Aboard the Dragon spacecraft are four astronauts — Mission Commander Chun Wang, Vehicle Commander Jannicke Mikkelsen, Vehicle Pilot Rabea Rogge, and Mission Specialist and Medical Officer Eric Philips. This will be the first time in orbit for all of them.
SpaceX’s Fram2 mission crew from left to right: Rabea Rogge, Chun Wang, Jannicke Mikkelsen, and Eric Philips. [Credit: SpaceX]
What is Fram2’s mission?
During the multi-day mission, the crew will fly over Earth’s polar regions and conduct 22 research experiments focused on space exploration and human health. Their tasks include taking the first X-ray in space, studying exercise’s effects on muscle and skeletal mass, and growing mushrooms in microgravity.
What we don’t know:
While the mission has clear research goals, it remains uncertain how successful the studies will be, particularly those related to post-flight astronaut recovery. Researchers will examine the crew’s ability to exit the spacecraft unassisted after landing, but the outcome is unknown.
Dig deeper:
The Dragon spacecraft supporting Fram2 has a significant history, having previously flown Crew-1, Inspiration4, and Polaris Dawn — missions that have advanced commercial space exploration and space tourism.
The Falcon 9 first stage booster assigned to this mission is also a veteran of multiple flights, having supported Crew-9, RRT-1, the Firefly Blue Ghost Mission 1, and two Starlink deployments. After launch, it is expected to land on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean.
Big picture view:
Fram2 represents a new frontier in human spaceflight. Most astronaut missions follow equatorial or mid-latitude orbits, but this mission will take astronauts over Earth’s polar regions for the first time. The data gathered could help future space missions, including those to the Moon and Mars, by expanding knowledge of human endurance in different orbital environments.
Additionally, the rapid turnaround from Crew 10’s launch demonstrates growing efficiency in human spaceflight operations, reinforcing SpaceX’s role in advancing commercial and scientific missions.
What they’re saying:
Experts emphasize the uniqueness of Fram2’s mission.
“Most astronaut missions go into a sort of what you could call a more equatorial orbit, or an orbit that’s more in the mid-latitude ranges. And so this is very unique in that aspect that this is the first time that that’s ever happened,” said Don Platt, Director of the Spaceport Education Center at Florida Tech.
Platt also highlighted the scientific value of the mission. “These astronauts will be able to collect some data. Now that is actually doing some useful science, not just sort of flying a joyride, if you will.”
Dr. Ken Kremer, founder of Space UpClose, noted the mission’s visibility from the ground. “The mission is about 3–5 days long. They’ll be flying at the height of the International Space Station, which is roughly about 250 miles, and they’re going to launch due south. So anybody in Fort Lauderdale or Miami, points south of us, should get really good views.”
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The Source: This story was written based on information shared by SpaceX and interviews with Don Platt, Director of the Spaceport Education Center at Florida Tech, and Dr. Ken Kremer, founder of Space UpClose.
