Photo credit: arstechnica.com

Exploring New Heights: The Fram2 Mission’s Unique Journey

Chun Wang, part of the Fram2 crew, reflected on the mission’s internet connectivity, noting that while it wasn’t consistently reliable, when it worked, it proved to be exceptionally quick. Using an iPhone 16 Pro Max, he captured stunning 4K videos that showcased intricate details of Earth’s landscapes, including ice sheets, clouds, water bodies, and terrestrial formations from an altitude of around 200 miles (300 kilometers).

The Fram2 flight was fully automated, but SpaceX prepared the crew for potential manual control, training them to operate inside the Dragon spacecraft. Notably, none of the crew members had prior experience in spaceflight or the space industry, making this expedition remarkable as it marked the first instance of a human spaceflight to low-Earth orbit without a trained pilot on board.

Chun Wang, who was aboard the mission, shared a light-hearted moment by taking an iPhone selfie shortly after their splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.

The mission, which lasted nearly four days, was primarily focused on exploration rather than scientific research. Mikkelsen, another crew member, leveraged her skills as a filmmaker to document their experiences from Dragon’s cupola. She expressed her ambition to create an immersive 3D narrative about their journey. Throughout the flight, her work was complemented by Wang’s use of a high-end V-RAPTOR 8K VV camera, a sophisticated piece of equipment valued at around $25,000 that played a crucial role in documenting their unique vantage point from space.

In addition to the scenic observations, the crew conducted important experiments, including performing the first X-ray of a human in space. This unique opportunity allowed researchers to gather significant data regarding the effects of radiation exposure on humans during their journey. The Fram2 mission’s polar orbit exposed the astronauts to higher levels of ionizing radiation compared to what crews experience on the International Space Station, providing valuable insights for future space exploration.

Upon completing their mission and splashing down in the Pacific, the Fram2 astronauts exited the Dragon capsule independently, contrasting typical returns where SpaceX ground teams assist astronauts as they regain their bearings. This scenario exemplified how future explorers might disembark from spacecraft on the Moon or Mars, where assistance may not be readily available.

Prior to the flight, Chun expressed a keen desire to observe the polar regions, particularly Antarctica and Svalbard, the Norwegian archipelago situated north of the Arctic Circle. Historically, there has never been a human spaceflight mission that traversed directly over the poles in the extensive catalog of over 400 missions since 1961. While satellites frequently capture high-resolution images over these areas, the Fram2 crew’s firsthand observations contribute to an unparalleled perspective on Earth’s icy regions.

“People often refer to Earth as a blue marble planet, but from our point of view, it’s more of a frozen planet,” Chun remarked, highlighting the distinct view they had of the world from space.

Source
arstechnica.com