SpaceX has released captivating footage from its historic Fram2 mission, the first human spaceflight to orbit Earth’s polar regions. Launched on April 1, 2025, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the mission was privately funded and commanded by cryptocurrency entrepreneur Chun Wang.
The crew included Norwegian filmmaker Jannicke Mikkelsen, German robotics researcher Rabea Rogge, and Australian polar explorer Eric Philips. Over the course of the three-day mission, the team conducted 22 scientific experiments, including the first human X-ray images taken in space and the cultivation of oyster mushrooms in microgravity.
Views from the Dragon spacecraft during Fram2, the first polar-orbit human spaceflight mission to explore Earth with the @framonauts pic.twitter.com/I86ssPNiae
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 4, 2025
The newly released footage showcases breathtaking views of Earth’s polar regions, offering unprecedented perspectives of these remote areas from space.
The mission’s unique polar orbit allowed the crew to observe atmospheric phenomena such as the aurora-like STEVE (Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement), enhancing our understanding of these occurrences.
The successful completion of Fram2 marks a significant milestone in private space exploration, demonstrating the potential for future missions to venture into previously unexplored orbital paths.
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Context & Background
The Fram2 mission is named after the historic Norwegian ship “Fram,” which undertook daring voyages to the Arctic and Antarctic between 1893 and 1912. By embracing such rich historical context, SpaceX aims to tie its current endeavors with the long-standing human quest to understand the unexplored. The mission’s unique trajectory took it directly above the North and South poles, a feat never before attempted in human spaceflight. This polar orbit allowed the crew to observe Earth’s polar regions from approximately 425-450 kilometers above Earth, closely studying unusual spectral phenomena known as “STEVE” (Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement), which are green and purple light emissions typically seen at altitudes of 400–500 km.
In addition to observing atmospheric phenomena, the crew conducted 22 experiments aimed at advancing human health and performance in space, particularly for future long-duration missions. Key highlights included capturing the first human X-ray images in space, studying blood flow restriction exercise to preserve muscle and bone mass, and growing oyster mushrooms in microgravity as a potential space crop. These studies are designed to generate data that will support humanity’s next steps toward sustainable living and working in space.
In This Story
SpaceX
SpaceX is an American aerospace manufacturer and space transport services company founded by Elon Musk in 2002. It aims to reduce space transportation costs and enable the colonization of Mars.
Chun Wang
Chun Wang is a Malta-based cryptocurrency billionaire and co-founder of F2Pool, one of the largest Bitcoin mining networks. He served as the commander of the Fram2 mission.
Jannicke Mikkelsen
Jannicke Mikkelsen is a Norwegian filmmaker and pilot who participated as a crew member in the Fram2 mission.
Rabea Rogge
Rabea Rogge is a German robotics researcher who was part of the Fram2 mission crew.
Eric Philips
Eric Philips is an Australian polar explorer who joined the Fram2 mission as a crew member.
STEVE (Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement)
STEVE is an atmospheric phenomenon characterized by green and purple light emissions, similar to auroras, typically observed at altitudes of 400–500 km.
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