The National Space Society has recognized the crew of Fram2 and SpaceX for successfully completing the first-ever crewed orbital mission over Earth’s poles. The landmark flight, which began on March 31, 2025, from Kennedy Space Center, concluded on April 4, 2025, with a splashdown off the coast of Southern California. This was the first SpaceX crewed mission to end in the Pacific, a strategic choice to minimize debris risks to populated areas.

The private mission was the brainchild of cryptocurrency entrepreneur Chun Wang, who also commanded the flight. “We fly polar because, in an ISS-like orbit, we are unable to see where we live,” Wang explained on X (formerly Twitter), referencing the crew’s connections to northern latitudes. “From this perspective, the mission has perfectly achieved its goal.”

Wang was joined by a diverse international crew: Norwegian cinematographer and vehicle commander Jannicke Mikkelsen, German polar scientist and pilot Rabea Rogge, and Australian polar explorer Eric Philips, who served as mission specialist.

Record-Breaking Trajectory and Scientific Achievements

The Fram2 mission set a new benchmark in human spaceflight by achieving a 90-degree orbital inclination relative to the Earth’s equator. This trajectory shattered the nearly 60-year-old record held by the Soviet Voskhod 2 mission, which reached a 65-degree inclination in 1965. The polar orbit provided the astronauts with unprecedented firsthand views of the planet’s north and south poles.

Beyond the stunning vistas, the mission was a platform for significant scientific research. The crew conducted 22 experiments, including the study of the Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement (STEVE) phenomenon, an atmospheric optical event best observed from a polar orbit. In another first, the mission successfully tested a compact X-ray machine in the microgravity environment.

“Far from being simply tourists, the crew of the Fram2 mission blazed a path toward a better future for everyone,” commented Dale Skran, COO and SVP of the National Space Society. “Their courage and dedication to the advancement of science are to be commended.”

Mission Hardware and Legacy

This historic flight marked SpaceX’s 17th crewed launch. The mission utilized the Crew Dragon Resilience for its fourth journey into space, outfitted with the large domed cupola first seen on the Inspiration4 mission. The Falcon 9 booster that propelled the capsule into orbit successfully returned to a SpaceX barge, completing its sixth flight and underscoring the company’s commitment to reusability. The increasing flight rate and use of automated systems on the Crew Dragon are paving the way for a wider range of private individuals to undertake ambitious missions with diverse scientific objectives.