Refresh
SPACECRAFT SEPARATION!
Fram2’s Crew Dragon capsule, named Resilience, has separated from its Falcon 9 rocket and begun flying freely. Every little thing continues to look good for the pioneering mission, the primary crewed spaceflight ever to orbit Earth over the planet’s poles.
LIFTOFF!
Fram2 has launched, sending 4 private astronauts on a historic three-to-five-day journey over Earth’s poles. The crew will carry out 22 scientific experiments over the course of the mission, certainly one of which can develop mushrooms in area for the primary time ever. Fram2 may also take X-rays of the human physique in orbit, one other feat that has by no means been carried out.
Such work will assist pave the way in which for human exploration additional afield, together with journeys to Mars, mission staff members have mentioned.
STRONGBACK RETRACT
Fram2’s transporter-erector, often known as the strongback, has retracted. Every little thing remains to be on observe for an on-time liftoff, which is now simply minutes away.
PROPELLANT LOAD HAS BEGUN
SpaceX has begun loading propellant — liquid oxygen and the rocket-grade kerosene generally known as RP-1 — into the Falcon 9 rocket that can launch the Fram2 astronaut mission tonight. Every little thing, together with the climate, is cooperating for a deliberate liftoff at 9:46 p.m. EDT.
FRAM2 LAUNCH WEBCAST HAS BEGUN
SpaceX’s webcast for the launch of the private Fram2 astronaut mission has begun. You possibly can watch it right here at Area.com or via the company. We’re now about 55 minutes away from liftoff, which is scheduled for 9:46 p.m. EDT (0146 GMT on April 1).
SpaceX Fram2 crew able to launch
It’s launch day for SpaceX’s subsequent private area mission, the first-of-its-kind Fram2 flight, which can launch a crew of 4 astroanuts over the Earth’s poles. It’s the first human spaceflight over the poles.
The Fram2 crew, commanded by cryptocurrency billionaire Chun Wang (who financed the flight) will launch from NASA’s Pad 39A of the Kennedy Area Heart in Florida at 9:46 p.m. EDT (0146 April 1 GMT) atop a Falcon 9 and a Crew Dragon capsule. You can watch the launch live on Space.com, courtesy of SpaceX, starting at about 8:46 p.m. EDT (0046 GMT).
Becoming a member of Wang on the flight shall be car commander Jannicke Mikkelsen of Norway, pilot Rabea Rogge of Germany, and Australian Eric Phillips, Fram2’s medical officer and mission specialist.
Mikkelsen is a filmmaker identified for working in difficult environments just like the Arctic and open sea. Rogge is a German engineer and scientist specializing in robotics and polar analysis. Phillips is an Australian polar explorer who has led expeditions to the North and South Poles.
The 4 astronaut will spend three to 5 days in orbit learning Earth’s poles from area, performing 22 different science experiments and having fun with their time in area. They’re anticipated to return to Earth with a splashdown at sea.
Over the weekend, SpaceX rolled the Falcon 9 rocket out to the launch pad and carried out a launch gown rehearsal with the crew.
On Sunday, the corporate efficiently carried out a static check fireplace of the Falcon 9’s first stae, setting the stage for right this moment’s launch.
Static fireplace check of Falcon 9 full – concentrating on Monday, March 31 at 9:46 p.m. ET for launch of Fram2. Groups maintaining a tally of climate circumstances forward of liftoff → https://t.co/vSt6tfeLZGMarch 30, 2025
The Fram2 @framonauts and SpaceX accomplished a full rehearsal of launch day actions forward of liftoff on Monday pic.twitter.com/e1T9RI57FyMarch 30, 2025
Fram2 astronauts watch Starlink launch from SpaceX Tesla
Because the 4 Fram2 astronauts put together for his or her SpaceX launch right this moment, SpaceX itself was very busy. The corporate launched a Falcon 9 rocket carrying a brand new fleet of Starlink satellites into orbit from Cape Canaveral Area Power Station in Florida, which is close to NASA’s Kennedy Area Heart, the place the 4 astronauts will raise off from later tonight.
The Starlink launch lifted off from Area Launch Advanced 40 on the Area Power Base at 3:52 p.m. EDT (1952 GMT), because the Fram2 astronauts had been driving out to their SpaceX launch website in modern black Tesla sedans. One in every of them had a license plate that learn “Fram2Go.”
We’re gonna watch a rocket launch whereas on our method to a rocket launch. 🚀 pic.twitter.com/G1IfJdGt1fMarch 31, 2025
“We’re gonna watch a rocket launch whereas on the way in which to a rocket launch,” Fram2 mission commander Chun Wang wrote on X.
As soon as they arrive at SpaceX’s launch facility on the Kennedy Area Heart, they will proceed to Pad 39A of their SpaceX-issue spacesuits for launch. Our livestream of the launch will start at 8:46 p.m. EDT (0046 GMT).
Beneath are some images of the Fram2 crew’s launch gown rehearsal over the weekend, the place they practiced walkout, Crew Dragon ingress and launch.
Extra about area exploration
