First space flight over the polar regions planned
A Commercial Astronaut Mission to the polar regions is due to start by the end of the year at the earliest.
The crew of the Fram2 mission (from left): Eric Philips, Jannicke Mikkelsen, Chun Wang and Rabea Rogge.
(Image: SpaceX)
SpaceX is planning a space flight this year that will take it over the Earth's polar regions for the first time. The sixth commercial astronaut mission called Fram2 is scheduled to last three to five days. Rabea Rogge, a German participant, is also on board. It will be the first flight into space for all four astronauts.
The commander and client of the mission is Chun Wang. According to media reports, the billionaire and cryptocurrency entrepreneur is friends with the other crew members. They are polar explorers and filmmakers by profession or, in the case of the German participant, robotics researchers.
First X-ray image in space
The flight is to be completed in a Dragon space capsule, which will enter a polar orbit at an altitude of 425 to 450 kilometers. A Falcon 9 is to be used as the carrier rocket. However, it is said that the launch could be postponed until next year. The mission name Fram2 was chosen in reference to Norway's first polar research ship, Fram, which completed a total of three expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic at the beginning of the 20th century.
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During their mission, the crew plans to make observations through the dome of the Dragon capsule. Among other things, they want to investigate unusual light emissions that resemble auroras. The crew also wants to work with SpaceX to better understand the effects of space travel on the human body. This includes taking the first human X-ray images in space, just-in-time training tools and studying the effects of space travel on mental health.
(mki)
