Upcoming SpaceX Mission
SpaceX is preparing for a groundbreaking mission, launching four private astronauts into a polar orbit to observe the Earth’s most remote regions from above.

The Fram2 Mission
The Fram2 mission, named after the historic ship that reached both the Earth’s Arctic and Antarctic regions, is scheduled to launch no earlier than Monday, March 31 at 11:20 p.m. ET. This mission will venture into uncharted territory, flying over the planet’s polar regions at an altitude of approximately 265 to 280 miles (425 to 450 kilometers) above the ground.

The Crew
A four-person crew will board a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, taking off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The crew includes Chun Wang of Malta, founder of Bitcoin mining companies f2pool and stakefish, who is leading and funding the mission. The remaining crew members are Jannicke Mikkelsen, a Norwegian cinematographer; Eric Philips, an Australian polar adventurer; and Rabea Rogge, a German robotics researcher. Despite their diverse backgrounds, all crew members are spaceflight newcomers.

A New Frontier
The crew will be the first astronauts to orbit over the Earth’s poles, following a trajectory that no human mission has attempted before. According to a Fram2 news release, "This new flight trajectory will unlock new possibilities for human spaceflight and provide a deeper understanding of our planet and its polar regions." The North and South Poles have not been fully visible to astronauts in orbit, including those on the International Space Station, with the exception of the Apollo lunar missions.

Mission Objectives
The crew will spend three to five days on board SpaceX’s Dragon crew spacecraft, studying the aurora-like phenomenon known as STEVE (Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement) from a unique vantage point. They will also conduct an experiment to grow mushrooms in space, launched by the Australian firm FOODiQ Global, to provide nutrition for future human missions to the Moon and Mars.

Pushing the Limits
SpaceX continues to push the boundaries of private spaceflight, following its last private mission, Polaris Dawn, which achieved the first commercial spacewalk in history. However, the Fram2 mission carries its own set of risks, including higher-than-usual radiation exposure and increased auroral activity.

A Challenging Journey
Polar orbits are typically used by Earth-observing satellites and reconnaissance missions, and flying through the polar region is generally avoided in spaceflight due to the associated risks. Nevertheless, the crew of four amateur astronauts is set to embark on a historic journey, and fingers are crossed for a successful mission over the Earth’s poles.