SpaceX has concluded another pivotal phase in its commercial human spaceflight initiative with the successful return of the Fram2 mission. This unique mission featured four passengers, including an Australian, who experienced a groundbreaking orbit that brought them directly over both the North and South poles for the first time.
Financed by cryptocurrency tycoon Chun Wang, the Fram2 crew embarked on their journey on Monday, returning back to Earth after a free-flying stint in space. They made their splashdown off the coast of California at 9.19 am PT, marking SpaceX’s first West Coast landing in its five-year history of human spaceflights. The company streamed the event live on its website.
Throughout the mission, the crew was engaged in various scientific research projects, including capturing images of auroras and studying the effects of microgravity on motion sickness, which affected all crew members during the initial phase of the flight. Wang shared that this sensation was unlike typical motion sickness, stating that even small amounts of water would lead to nausea. Fortunately, by the second morning, he felt rejuvenated.
The crew included Wang, Norwegian filmmaker Jannicke Mikkelsen, German robotics researcher Rabea Rogge, and Australian adventurer Eric Philips, all with experiences related to polar exploration. Mikkelsen described the Fram2 mission as unconventional, with participants transitioning from civilians to certified astronauts.
Fram2’s scientific pursuits involved conducting 22 experiments, many focusing on crew health and welfare. Upon landing, the team performed an “egress experiment,” assessing their ability to exit the spacecraft without outside assistance—an essential skill for future missions. This element of the mission highlighted another milestone—SpaceX’s first splashdown on the West Coast, a decision made for safety by avoiding land disposal of equipment during re-entry.
Uniquely, the Fram2 mission allowed passengers to directly view locations such as Svalbard, Norway, from their polar orbit, making this experience a first for human spaceflight, as no previous crewed missions had orbited Earth’s poles directly. The crew’s landmark journey offered new insights into the potential for human habitation in space, especially essential for future Mars explorations.
Notably, the crew explored various health metrics, including hormone levels and sleep quality, using cutting-edge wellness-tracking technology. They also attempted to cultivate mushrooms in the microgravity environment and engaged in mapping their brain activities.
Experts in space science, like Dr. Eric Donovan, viewed the potential images and data collected during the mission as groundbreaking, especially regarding auroras that typically remain obscured from the International Space Station’s orbit. Self-funded missions like Fram2 are increasingly seen as vital platforms for expanding our understanding of human capacities in space and fostering innovative research beyond traditional governmental space programs.