The first four humans to orbit over Earth's north and south poles have safely returned to Earth. SpaceX's private Fram2 mission splashed down today, April 4, at 12:18 p.m. ET (1618 GMT), gently parachuting into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Oceanside, California. This remarkable return concludes approximately three and a half days spent in space, marking the first crewed mission to successfully fly a polar orbit around our planet.
SpaceX officials confirmed the successful splashdown of the Dragon spacecraft, stating, "Dragon has returned home with the Fram2 crew," during the mission's live stream. The mission was funded by Maltese cryptocurrency billionaire Chun Wang, who also served as the mission commander during the crew's training and spaceflight. Joining Chun were fellow polar explorers: Jannicke Mikkelsen from Norway, designated as Dragon commander; Rabea Rogge from Germany as mission pilot; and Australian Eric Philips as both mission specialist and medical officer.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched this diverse quartet from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 31, sending them into a north-to-south trajectory in low-Earth orbit at an altitude of approximately 271 miles (437 kilometers). With their unique vantage point, the Framonauts witnessed Earth's poles like no astronauts ever have before, spending their time in space documenting and sharing their breathtaking views with audiences worldwide.
During their mission, the Fram2 crew conducted a total of 22 science experiments aboard the Resilience spacecraft. Notably, one experiment captured the first X-ray of a human in space, while another, called MushVroom, aimed to study how mushrooms grow in a microgravity environment. These groundbreaking experiments contribute valuable insights into the potential for scientific advancements in space.
The crew's return also paved the way for a series of post-flight experiments and observations. The final pieces of research focus on investigating the Framonauts' recovery after spending time in a microgravity environment. In an unusual move, the crew opted out of the standard medical and mobility assistance typically provided to astronauts post-flight, choosing instead to assess their own strength as their bodies reacclimate to gravity.
SpaceX's recovery ship, Shannon, intercepted Resilience following its splashdown, where an onboard crane lifted the spacecraft onto the deck. After disembarking, the crew will travel by helicopter to shore, starting with an hour dedicated to balancing and coordination testing. Following this, they will undergo brain imaging scans using a portable MRI machine. After a restful night's sleep, the Fram2 astronauts will spend an additional two days conducting on-orbit research using a high-resolution bone scanner at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.
The Fram2 mission is not only a milestone in polar exploration but also marks SpaceX's 16th crewed mission recovery following successful spaceflights. This mission is also noted as SpaceX's 17th crewed mission overall, with the SpaceX Crew-10 mission for NASA currently docked at the International Space Station and scheduled for return later this year.
