SpaceX Launches Private Astronauts on Historic Polar Orbit

• 02 Apr 2025

On 31st March 2025, Elon Musk’s SpaceX launched four private astronauts on a ground-breaking mission to orbit Earth from pole to pole, a trajectory never before travelled by humans.

Key Points

• Mission Fram2: Led by crypto entrepreneur Chun Wang, the mission references Norway’s historic Arctic exploration vessel, Fram.
• Scientific Research: Over a three-to-five-day mission, the crew will conduct 22 experiments focused on human adaptation to spaceflight and microgravity.
• Unique Crew Composition: The team includes a Norwegian VR filmmaker, a German robotics scientist, and an Australian polar explorer.
• Expanding Private Spaceflight: Fram2 is SpaceX’s sixth private astronaut mission, highlighting its growing dominance in commercial space travel.
• Dragon’s Market Leadership: SpaceX’s Crew Dragon is the only operational private spacecraft regularly flying missions, while Boeing’s Starliner remains in development.
• Spaceflight Costs and Trends: With missions priced at $55 million per seat, private space travel is increasingly attracting non-governmental participants.