On Monday, Rabea Rogge achieved the honor of becoming the first German woman to venture into space. She embarked on this groundbreaking journey aboard a SpaceX rocket, as part of the first ever crewed mission designed to pass directly above Earth’s polar regions.

The mission, which is privately funded, commenced with the launch of a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule atop a Falcon 9 rocket. This launch took place at 9:46pm ET on Monday (equivalent to 0146 GMT on Tuesday) from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Elon Musk’s SpaceX control room erupted in cheers as the rocket, powered by the Force of the Falcon, propelled towards the Earth’s North and South Poles.

A total of four private astronauts embarked on this adventure into polar orbit, as demonstrated via the company’s livestream. The Fram2 mission marks a trailblazing expedition, as no human has ever ventured into this kind of trajectory before. The mission is under the leadership of Chun Wang, a Chinese-born Maltese entrepreneur. The other crew members include Norwegian filmmaker Jannicke Mikkelsen, Australian polar guide Eric Philips, and Rogge herself, a robotics researcher.

The Fram2 mission draws inspiration from the renowned 19th-century Norwegian ship, which was designed for exploring the Arctic and Antarctic regions. The mission aims to conduct pioneering experiments, including the first human X-ray in space and the cultivation of mushrooms in microgravity. Upon returning to Earth, the crew plans to exit the spacecraft without the need for additional medical assistance. This will assist researchers in evaluating astronauts’ ability to perform basic tasks after spaceflight.

Before the launch, mission commander Chun Wang stated, “With the same pioneering spirit as early polar explorers, we aim to bring back new data and knowledge to advance the long-term goals of space exploration.” The crew underwent eight months of training, which included a wilderness expedition in Alaska to simulate living in close quarters under harsh conditions.

A polar orbit enables global Earth observation and is typically utilized for climate and reconnaissance satellites. This mission signifies the first time astronauts have flown directly over both poles, marking a milestone in the 64-year history of human spaceflight.

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Source: https://www.dw.com/en/first-german-woman-in-space-on-historic-spacex-polar-orbit-mission/a-72101943?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf