Private space mission from SpaceX, called Fram2, will be the first to focus on exploring Earth’s polar regions. The crew will be led by Chun Wang, an entrepreneur from Malta, and the team of astronaut-travelers will also include Jannicke Mikkelsen from Norway, Eric Philips from Australia and Rabea Rogge from Germany.
The mission, named after the historic ship Fram (translated from Norwegian as “Forward”) that helped explorers reach the Arctic and Antarctic more than 100 years ago, could launch as early as this year. The space trip is planned to last three to five days. The crew will observe the polar regions from an altitude of up to 450 kilometers, 48 kilometers above the International Space Station’s orbit.
The mission’s participants will also study unusual light phenomena similar to the aurora borealis, such as Steve, or Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement, which can be seen at altitudes of 400 to 500 kilometers.
Additionally, the crew will work with SpaceX to study the effects of spaceflight on the human body, including taking the first X-rays of humans in space. This research will help prepare for long-duration missions to deep space.
The Crew Dragon spacecraft for the Fram2 mission will be equipped with a glass dome that offers panoramic views of Earth and space, particularly the polar regions.
The Fram2 mission will be the sixth civilian space mission from SpaceX. Its announcement came three years after the first Inspiration4 mission, which also included four crew members who spent several days orbiting Earth.
Earlier we reported on how a new launch date for the Polaris Dawn mission was named.
According to spacex.com
