Experience Stunning First Glimpses of Earth’s Poles Captured by SpaceX Fram2 Astronauts (Watch the Video!)

Four adventurers recently made history as the first humans to orbit over both the North and South Poles. Their journey, part of SpaceX’s Fram2 mission, offers stunning views from a never-before-explored orbit.

Launched on March 31, 2025, at 9:46 PM EDT, the mission lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. It took just ten minutes for the Falcon 9 rocket to reach low-Earth orbit, where the Crew Dragon Resilience was released to start its own journey. Now in orbit, the crew is sharing breathtaking images of Earth’s polar regions.

The Fram2 crew includes Chun Wang from Malta, who funded the mission, along with Jannicke Mikkelsen of Norway, Rabea Rogge from Germany, and Eric Phillips from Australia. During a post-launch update, Wang enthusiastically shared their milestone on X, stating, “Today, we become the 681st humans to fly above the Kármán line, and the 626th to orbit the Earth.”

SpaceX later released a captivating video showcasing views from Resilience’s cupola window as it passed over snowy landscapes. The excitement doesn’t stop there; the crew has lined up nearly two dozen scientific experiments for their time in orbit. Notably, they will attempt to grow mushrooms in space and perform X-rays of the human body while in microgravity.

The name “Fram” pays homage to a historic Norwegian ship known for its exploration of the Arctic and Antarctic regions. This mission aims to continue that spirit of exploration.

SpaceX is also making a significant change for future missions. After the Fram2 mission, the spacecraft will splash down in the Pacific Ocean, marking the first time a SpaceX crewed mission has chosen this recovery location. This shift is aimed at minimizing the risks of space debris causing potential harm upon reentry into the atmosphere.

As space travel becomes more common, public interest is soaring. Social media is buzzing with reactions to the stunning visuals and ambitious scientific endeavors. According to a recent survey by the Pew Research Center, about 65% of Americans believe space exploration is essential for the future of humanity, highlighting the growing enthusiasm for such missions.

The Fram2 mission serves not only as a remarkable journey for its crew but also as an important step in our understanding of life beyond Earth and the potential for future space exploration.

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