Latest news with #JaniceMikkelsen
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
SpaceX Fram2 mission set to return to Earth
April 4 (UPI) -- SpaceX's Fram2 mission, the first crewed mission to ever orbit Earth's North and South poles, is set to Earth on Friday morning. The Crew Dragon capsule has carried four civilians from four countries on a five-day mission that will be entirely concluded when the craft splashes down in the Pacific Ocean off the California coast at approximately 9:19 a.m. PDT. SpaceX successfully launched the private Fram2 Monday night from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The four-person crew, mission commander Chun Wang of Malta; vehicle commander Janice Mikkelsen of Norway; pilot Rabea Rogge of Germany and medical officer Eric Phillips of Australia have been traveling in low Earth orbit and have conducted 22 research tests that were intended to help better understand human health in space. Chun posted to X Wednesday that all four crew members experienced space motion sickness in their first few hours in microgravity and throughout the first day but managed to sleep well and by the second day all had adjusted to their situation. The crew took the first x-ray in space, tested how human cognition can adapt to the spaceflight environment within the first few hours of reaching space, completed a brain mapping electroencephalography experiment, and took a continuous glucose monitor study to see how fluid shifts in space can affect the readings taken by glucose monitors for diabetics, among other experiments. "Proud to be able to bring to space some incredible cameras and lenses capturing the first images of the Arctic and Antarctic shot by humans from space," Fram2 Vehicle Commander and cinematographer Jannicke Mikkelsen posted to X from space Thursday, "These videos are big in file size and we look [forward] to sharing them with you post-mission splashdown." Once back on Earth, the crew also plans to exit the Dragon capsule without any operational or medical assistance, in a final experiment to help researchers judge the ability of astronauts to perform without assistance after a duration in space.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
SpaceX Fram2 mission set to return to Earth
April 4 (UPI) -- SpaceX's Fram2 mission, the first crewed mission to ever orbit Earth's North and South poles, is set to Earth on Friday morning. The Crew Dragon capsule has carried four civilians from four countries on a five-day mission that will be entirely concluded when the craft splashes down in the Pacific Ocean off the California coast at approximately 9:19 a.m. PDT. SpaceX successfully launched the private Fram2 Monday night from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The four-person crew, mission commander Chun Wang of Malta; vehicle commander Janice Mikkelsen of Norway; pilot Rabea Rogge of Germany and medical officer Eric Phillips of Australia have been traveling in low Earth orbit and have conducted 22 research tests that were intended to help better understand human health in space. Chun posted to X Wednesday that all four crew members experienced space motion sickness in their first few hours in microgravity and throughout the first day but managed to sleep well and by the second day all had adjusted to their situation. The crew took the first x-ray in space, tested how human cognition can adapt to the spaceflight environment within the first few hours of reaching space, completed a brain mapping electroencephalography experiment, and took a continuous glucose monitor study to see how fluid shifts in space can affect the readings taken by glucose monitors for diabetics, among other experiments. "Proud to be able to bring to space some incredible cameras and lenses capturing the first images of the Arctic and Antarctic shot by humans from space," Fram2 Vehicle Commander and cinematographer Jannicke Mikkelsen posted to X from space Thursday, "These videos are big in file size and we look [forward] to sharing them with you post-mission splashdown." Once back on Earth, the crew also plans to exit the Dragon capsule without any operational or medical assistance, in a final experiment to help researchers judge the ability of astronauts to perform without assistance after a duration in space.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
SpaceX launches Fram2, first crewed mission in orbit over Earth's poles
March 31 (UPI) -- SpaceX successfully launched private Fram2, the first crewed mission to orbit Earth's North and South poles, on Monday night from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The historic launch is carrying four civilians from four countries on a mission that will last up to five days. The Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon capsule lifted off at 9:46 p.m. EDT, after mission control announced, "Dragon SpaceX, Go for launch!" "Three, two, one, ignition and lift-off!" one mission controller called-out to loud cheers and applause. Minutes later, mission control announced "And there we just saw MECO state separation," as the Falcon rocket hit Main Engine Cutoff. "Dragon has separated from Falcon 9's second stage," SpaceX announced in a post. The first-stage booster of the rocket, after burning through most of its fuel, headed back to Earth as the crew inside the Dragon capsule continued on into space. Just over eight minutes after launch, the Falcon 9 booster landed on the SpaceX droneship, called "A Shortfall of Gravitas" as Dragon separated and achieved polar orbit. The crew let go of a stuffed bear, their zero-G indicator, to watch it float inside the capsule under no gravity. The white nose cone that sits atop the Dragon capsule and holds hardware for docking at the International Space Station, swung open to reveal a large window, called a cupola. Since the Fram2 crew will not dock at ISS, the window will provide an unobstructed view as they fly through space. "We're honored to deliver you safely to your polar orbit," mission control told the crew. "Enjoy the view of the poles, send some pictures and our hearts will be with you as you go over the poles, have a great flight." "God speed Fram2. Cheers!" another mission controller added. Splashdown is scheduled for Friday or Saturday in the Pacific Ocean off Southern California. The Fram2 crew has spent more than a year training for this mission. Less than an hour before launch, Dragon's hatch was closed. "All communication and suit checks are complete, the seats are rotated and the framonauts are ready for launch!" SpaceX wrote in a post on X with a photo of the crew. The crew, currently in low Earth orbit for the next three to five days and referred to by SpaceX as "framonauts," includes mission commander Chun Wang of Malta; vehicle commander Janice Mikkelsen of Norway; pilot Rabea Rogge of Germany; and Australian Eric Phillips, who will serve as the flight's mission specialist and medical officer. "My own journey has been shaped by lifelong curiosity and a fascination with pushing boundaries," Chun, who is a wealthy bitcoin entrepreneur, told reporters Friday. "As a kid, I used to stare at a blank white space at the bottom of a world map and wonder what's out there." Monday's Fram2 launch marks SpaceX's third privately funded civilian space tourism flight. Mikkelsen is a cinematographer, Rogge is a robotics expert and Phillips calls himself an adventurer. While the crew is not comprised of seasoned astronauts, Mikkelsen told CBS News they are extremely well qualified given "the extensive training required by SpaceX." "I wish it was tourism," Mikkelsen said. "Our education has lasted well over a year, so I have never studied so hard for a three-and-a-half-day expedition in my life." Over the weekend, the "Fram2 framonauts and SpaceX completed a full rehearsal of launch day activities ahead of liftoff." On Monday night, Fram2 launched into a 90-degree circular orbit, flying south over Miami and Cuba in a rare polar mission launch from Florida. The highest inclination achieved by human spaceflight was 65 degrees during the Soviet Vostok 6 mission. "We're going to fly out of 39A in Florida and go pretty much straight south," said Jon Edwards, a SpaceX vice president who oversees Falcon 9 flight operations. "In fact, the flight path is going to go over Florida. If you were in Miami and you looked straight up, you know at the right time, you would see the rocket and the crew flying right overhead." Fram2 is named after a record-breaking ship from the early 20th century, which sailed to the polar regions and traveled farther north and south than any other ship of its time. Fram2 could break similar records by being the first spacecraft to orbit over Earth's poles. Over the next few days, the crew will conduct more than a dozen science experiments to include growing mushrooms and taking X-rays of the human body while in orbit. "Additionally, after safely returning to Earth, the crew plans to exit from the Dragon spacecraft without additional medical and operational assistance," according to SpaceX, "to help researchers characterize the ability of astronauts to perform unassisted functional tasks after short and long durations in space."
