History is being made as SpaceX’s Fram2 mission becomes the first crewed spaceflight to orbit Earth over both the North and South Poles. The private mission, which launched on March 31 at 9:46 p.m. EDT (April 1, 0146 GMT), sent four spaceflight novices into a never-before-attempted polar orbit.
The Dragon spacecraft Resilience separated from the Falcon 9 rocket just 10 minutes after liftoff, beginning its groundbreaking journey. The mission, named after the original Fram ship that explored the polar regions in the 1800s, is led by Maltese entrepreneur Chun Wang, along with Jannicke Mikkelsen (Norway), Rabea Rogge (Germany), and Eric Phillips (Australia).
WATCH THE VIRAL VIDEO:
This is the first time humans have been in orbit around the poles of Earth! https://t.co/mbmKkADED2
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 1, 2025
A breathtaking video from low Earth orbit captured Earth’s view from a 90-degree inclination, leaving space enthusiasts in awe. Reacting to the visuals, Elon Musk wrote, “This is the first time humans have been in orbit around the poles of Earth!”
During their two to four-day mission, the crew will conduct 22 scientific experiments, focusing on Earth’s polar regions. Their journey will conclude with a deorbit burn, leading to a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean on April 4, marking a first for SpaceX’s crewed missions.
