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Embarking on a groundbreaking space mission, a quartet of passengers, spearheaded by a cryptocurrency magnate, are poised to launch aboard a SpaceX capsule. This pioneering polar spaceflight, dubbed Fram2, will venture over Earth’s poles, marking an unprecedented journey for humans in space exploration and offering valuable opportunities for space research.
The crew is scheduled to take off from a launch complex in Florida, with a 4.5-hour launch window commencing at 9:46 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday.
Chun Wang, a Malta-based investor, is funding the endeavor. The mission’s name, Fram2, pays tribute to the Norwegian vessel “Fram,” renowned for its historic polar expeditions around the start of the 20th century.
Wang, who amassed his wealth through bitcoin mining, has invested an undisclosed sum with SpaceX to facilitate this unique space tourism venture. Accompanying him are three individuals experienced in polar exploration met during his terrestrial travels: Jannicke Mikkelsen, a Norwegian film director; Rabea Rogge, a German robotics scientist; and Eric Philips, an Australian adventurer.
None of the crew members have prior experience in space travel.
“My personal voyage has been sculpted by a lifelong inquisitiveness and a deep fascination with exceeding limits,” Wang stated during a recent audio event hosted on X, the social platform owned by SpaceX‘s CEO, Elon Musk.
Fram2’s objective is to execute a distinctive mission that honors the crew’s passion for polar exploration, following in the trajectory of notable space tourism initiatives, such as SpaceX’s Inspiration4 mission in 2021.
Fram2’s distinction lies in its trajectory; no previous human mission has directly traversed above Earth’s poles from space. This flight path demands significantly more fuel compared to orbits closer to the equator.
The polar regions of Earth are not visible to astronauts aboard the International Space Station, which maintains an orbit near the Earth’s equator. The closest crewed mission to the poles to date was the Soviet Union’s Vostok 6 in 1963.
However, Vostok 6 flew at a 65-degree inclination, whereas Fram2 aims for a 90-degree orientation, positioning it perpendicular to the equator.
During the spaceflight, the crew will participate in scientific investigations, providing data on how their bodies react to weightlessness and adapt to motion sickness, a common experience among astronauts.
Fram2 is anticipated to spend three to five days in space, concluding with a splashdown landing off the California coast.
The Fram2 crew. – SpaceX via AP
Fram2 Mission: Scientific Value and Uniqueness
Beyond a Gimmick
Despite the novelty of a human spaceflight mission passing so close to Earth’s poles, experts suggest the scientific advantages might be limited.
Dr. John Prussing, professor emeritus of aerospace engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, questioned the seriousness of the mission, pointing out that the projected launch window extends into April 1st Coordinated Universal Time.
“There isn’t anything inherently unique about a polar orbit, and the alleged scientific merits are somewhat overstated,” Prussing commented, expressing his doubt about the flight’s scientific value.
(CNN has independently verified the legitimacy of SpaceX’s flight plans with the Federal Aviation Administration, the body responsible for licensing commercial rocket launches.)
Ultimately, the significance of Fram2 may reside more in the thrill of the experience, the collection of health data, and advancing the normalization of private space ventures, according to other specialists. In addition to being first-time space travelers, the Fram2 crew possesses backgrounds distinct from traditional astronauts.
“This is a private mission. It requires a unique and exciting selling point,” stated Dr. Christopher Combs, associate dean of research at the Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design at the University of Texas at San Antonio.
Combs added, “It’s noteworthy that a true polar orbit has never been achieved by humans, and it’s commendable that commercial entities are making space travel increasingly commonplace.”
Combs considers flying a human mission around the poles as “marginally more than a publicity stunt, but not a truly revolutionary achievement.”
Fram2’s Focus on Health and Space Physiology Research
Advancing Scientific Knowledge
Each human space mission presents an opportunity to study the effects of space travel on human physiology.
The Fram2 crew will expand upon research initiated during previous commercial orbital missions, including the 2024 Polaris Dawn mission, contributing to space research.
Microgravity and Brain Fluid Shifts
All four Fram2 participants will undergo MRI scans, mirroring the protocol of the Polaris Dawn crew. This space research aims to improve understanding of how short periods in microgravity, known to cause fluid shifts in the brain, affect individuals.
Dr. Mark Rosenberg, a neurologist at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, indicated that the MRI study team is not yet prepared to release findings from the Polaris Dawn mission last fall. However, a primary objective is to ascertain if brain alterations occur in individuals during short-duration space stays—days rather than months.
Sleep Pattern Disruption in Space
Rosenberg is also collaborating on a study tracking astronauts’ sleep patterns using Oura Ring wellness-tracking devices. This initiative builds upon extensive NASA research conducted on ISS astronauts.
“I anticipate disruptions to REM sleep and deep sleep phases in the Fram2 crew,” Rosenberg told CNN.
He suggests two main reasons for this: “Firstly, the body’s unfamiliarity with microgravity makes achieving comfort challenging initially. Secondly, the constant barrage of visual stimuli from orbit, with a ‘day’ lasting only 90 minutes, will likely cause circadian dysregulation, impacting sleep patterns.”
The “day” Rosenberg mentions refers to the frequent sunrise and sunset cycles experienced in orbit, occurring more than a dozen times every 24 hours.
SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft for Fram2 mission at launchpad in Florida. – SpaceX
Addressing Space Motion Sickness
Fram2’s health investigations will also examine space adaptation syndrome, a significant form of motion sickness affecting over 60% of astronauts.
This nausea can manifest shortly after reaching orbit due to weightlessness and may persist for several days—a serious concern for brief flights like Fram2.
“It could compromise their performance capabilities,” stated Torin Clark, associate professor of aerospace engineering sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder, leading the motion sickness research.
Astronauts experiencing severe nausea might use anti-motion sickness injections, which can cause drowsiness, impairing their limited time in space.
Clark also directed similar studies on the Polaris Dawn mission, noting that half the crew experienced symptoms of space adaptation syndrome.
The expansion of data collection on Fram2 aims to improve understanding of this condition, potentially leading to better treatments.
Closing the Gender Data Gap in Space Medicine
In another novel space research aspect, the Fram2 mission will support research by Hormona, a British tech startup. The company developed a urine test strip and phone app to monitor women’s hormone levels.
Mikkelsen and Rogge, the female crew members, will utilize these strips to assess the impact of spaceflight on their endocrine systems.
This is part of an initiative to address “the gender data gap in medicine,” according to Jasmine Tagesson, Hormona’s COO and co-founder.
Women constitute only about 15% of the approximately 700 individuals who have journeyed into space, limiting available research data on their specific experiences.
Hormona is currently conducting pilot tests of its products, according to Tagesson and CEO Karolina Löfqvist. Mikkelsen and Rogge will use Hormona’s test strips within diapers worn in orbit. While SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule includes a zero-gravity commode, astronauts sometimes use absorbent undergarments.
Dr. Jerilynn Prior, a professor of medicine specializing in endocrinology at the University of British Columbia, not involved in Hormona’s research, told CNN that urine analysis is not the most accurate method for hormone testing due to metabolic alterations.
Nevertheless, such in-space hormone space research could yield valuable insights, Prior noted.
“I would anticipate that ovulation would not be typical for women in space,” Prior said via email.
“At minimum, the stressors involved would likely shorten the luteal phase,” she elaborated, referring to the post-ovulation phase before menstruation.
Diverse Experiments: Exercise, Mushrooms, and Aurora Observation
The Fram2 mission will encompass a total of 22 scientific and space research experiments.
Space Exercise Study
During their brief orbital journey, the crew will attempt exercise, marking the first such experiment within the confines of a 13-foot-wide SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule.
They will exercise using restrictive bands to manage blood flow and enhance workout benefits, as detailed in a mission statement. Blood flow restriction tools are gaining traction for Earth-based workouts but carry potential safety risks if misused.
Mushroom Cultivation in Microgravity
The Fram2 crew will also attempt to grow mushrooms in space, furthering NASA’s extensive agricultural space research on the International Space Station.
This experiment aims to help researchers understand how astronauts could “address their nutritional needs on extended space missions,” according to mission details.
Observing Polar Light Shows from Space
Finally, the crew will endeavor to observe polar light shows from space – possibly the most orbit-dependent research aspect of Fram2.
Known as SolarMaX, this space research will focus on aurora-like phenomena, including Steve, a light display named in 2016 following citizen scientist documentation in Canada.
Mikkelsen will use her camera equipment to capture these vibrant light displays while in space, inviting public participation from Earth.
“Anyone can participate. If aurora are visible where you are located, photograph them simultaneously as the Fram2 flight passes overhead,” she explained.
Individuals can register on the SolarMaX website to contribute.
The SolarMaX project aims to capture unclassified aurora-related events to “better understand their origins and development,” according to its webpage.
Dr. Eric Donovan, an aurora and Steve expert at the University of Calgary, expressed enthusiasm about compiling a new observational database.
Capturing aurora and polar light show photos from space has been limited, as ISS astronauts typically do so during free time, he noted.
“Self-funded spaceflight enables unique opportunities; its independent funding allows for unrestricted research pursuits,” Donovan concluded.
For more news and updates, visit CNN.com.