Fram2

Named in honor of the ship that helped explorers first reach Earth’s Arctic and Antarctic regions, the mission commander will be Chun Wang, an entrepreneur and explorer who co-founded f2pool and stakefish. The vehicle commander will be Jannicke Mikkelsen, a film director and cinematographer. The vehicle pilot will be Rabea Rogge, a robotics researcher from Berlin, currently pursuing her PhD in Norway. The final crew member will be mission specialist and medical officer Eric Philips, a professional polar adventurer and guide who has completed ski expeditions to the North and South Poles. Fram2 will launch into a 90° circular orbit from Florida, making it the first human spaceflight to fly over Earth’s polar regions from low-Earth orbit. To date, the highest inclination achieved by human spaceflight has been the Soviet Vostok 6 mission, at 65°. The Dragon capsule used for this mission will feature a cupola to allow for observations and will orbit at an altitude of 425 – 450 km. During the 3-to-5-day mission, the crew will study green fragments and mauve ribbons of continuous emissions comparable to the phenomenon known as STEVE (Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement), which has been measured at an altitude of approximately 400 - 500 km above Earth’s atmosphere, among other studies. The crew will also work with SpaceX to conduct a variety of research to better understand the effects of spaceflight on the human body, which includes capturing the first human x-ray images in space, Just-in-Time training tools, and studying the effects of spaceflight on behavioral health, all of which will help in the development of tools needed to prepare humanity for future long-duration spaceflight.