The First Crewed Spaceflight to Polar Orbit Is Now Complete...

SpaceX

Fram2 Returns to Earth (News Release)

After nearly four days on-orbit, Dragon and the Fram2 crew safely splashed down at 9:19 a.m. PDT off the coast of Oceanside, California, completing the first human spaceflight mission to explore Earth from a polar orbit and fly over the Earth’s polar regions. This was also Dragon’s first West Coast recovery since 2019 and the first Dragon human spaceflight mission to splash down in the Pacific Ocean.

Mission Objectives

During their multi-day mission, the crew conducted 22 research studies designed to help advance humanity’s capabilities for long-duration space exploration and the understanding of human health in space. The crew took the first x-ray in space, performed exercise studies to maintain muscle and skeletal mass, and grew mushrooms in microgravity.

Additionally, after safely returning to Earth, the crew exited the Dragon spacecraft without additional medical and operational assistance, helping researchers characterize the ability of astronauts to perform unassisted functional tasks after short and long durations in space.

The Crew

This was the first human spaceflight for Mission Commander Chun Wang, Vehicle Commander Jannicke Mikkelsen, Vehicle Pilot Rabea Rogge, and Mission Specialist and Medical Officer Eric Philips.

Source: SpaceX

****


SpaceX


SpaceX


SpaceX


SpaceX


SpaceX

Hello, Antarctica.

Unlike previously anticipated, from 460 km above, it is only pure white, no human activity is visible. pic.twitter.com/i7JawFYzW2

— Chun (@satofishi) April 2, 2025

Throughout their first two full days on-orbit, the crew took the first-ever X-ray in space, 130 years after the first X-ray was captured.

The @framonauts did a brain mapping EEG experiment and contributed to a continuous glucose monitor study examining how fluid shifts in space… pic.twitter.com/Tpvp3l5Zrh

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) April 3, 2025

The @Framonauts aboard #Fram2 are seeing something that no human eyes have seen before: both of our home world's polar regions in the same orbit. This is also an excellent preview of future #astrobiology expeditions to ice worlds such as Encealdus, Europa - and maybe Hoth ;-).… pic.twitter.com/6He1HNr7k3

— Astrobiology (@astrobiology) April 2, 2025