The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft is set to carry a crew of four, led by entrepreneur Chun Wang, on a flight over the Earth’s poles later this year.
(Video: SpaceX)
On August 13, SpaceX announced that the company aims to break new ground in exploring the Earth’s poles by launching its first crewed space mission over these regions. This will be a private flight, expected to last 3 to 5 days and take place later this year.
The mission is named Fram2, after a 19th-century polar exploration ship. Bitcoin entrepreneur Chun Wang, who was born and raised in China but is now a citizen of Malta, purchased Fram2 for an undisclosed amount. Accompanying him are three polar experts: documentary filmmaker Jannicke Mikkelsen (Norway), robotics researcher Rabea Rogge (Germany), and polar explorer Eric Philips (Australia).
This marks a significant advancement in the aerospace sector within the rapidly growing private space tourism industry in the United States in recent years. “From mission proposals to planning, flight path design, and crew selection, everything is carried out by the customer,” Wang stated.
While many satellites have flown over the poles, accessing these areas can be more energy-consuming due to the Earth’s rotation. Radiation can also pose a challenge, according to astronomer Jonathan McDowell.
During the Inspiration4 mission in 2021, a camera on the Dragon spacecraft captured views from the dome window.
“To date, the highest orbital inclination achieved by a crewed spacecraft is 65 degrees, accomplished by the Soviet Vostok 6 mission,” according to the mission’s website. The Earth’s poles cannot be observed from the International Space Station (ISS).
The Fram2 will utilize the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft equipped with an observation dome. The mission will take place at an altitude of 425 – 450 km. The crew plans to conduct research, including the first X-ray imaging in space and studying a light phenomenon resembling the aurora borealis.
SpaceX has completed 13 crewed missions over the past four years. The company has transported NASA astronauts to the ISS, as well as conducted several space tourism missions, including the first one in 2021 named Inspiration4, funded by American billionaire Jared Isaacman. SpaceX is also set to launch another private mission, Polaris Dawn, on August 26, which will send four people into space, including Isaacman. This mission is expected to include the first private spacewalk.
