SpaceX Fram2 1st polar astronaut mission: Live updates

Johnson Space Center Fram2 Crew Arrival

After their successful splashdown Friday (April 4), the Fram2 astronauts have continued their post-flight investigations into the effects of microgravity on the human body. The quartet exited their spacecraft unassisted following their landing back on Earth, and were then whisked away for more tests and biometric data collection. Now, the crew has arrived at NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC) to continue their research. In a post on X, Fram2 commander Chun Wang posted photos of the crew's arrival. The crew will spend a couple days at JSC utilizing the center's high resolution bone scanner.

@satofishi, 8:23 AM · Apr 6, 2025

@satofishi, 8:23 AM · Apr 6, 2025

Chun Wang

"Heading to NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston for post-splashdown medical research. This is the 38th flight of 2025, the 1002nd flight of all time."

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The Fram2 crew made their way from their splashdown point off the coast of California, to NASA's Johnson Space Center, in Houston, to continue their research into the effects of microgravity on the human body.

Fram2 astronauts exit Crew Dragon

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Fram2 astronauts mission commander Chun Wang, vehicle commander Jannicke Mikkelsen, mission specialist Rabea Rogge and medical officer Eric Philips have exited Crew Dragon Resilience, doing so unassisted as a last research experiment of their historic mission orbiting Earth's poles.

Read more: SpaceX's private Fram2 astronauts splash down on Earth, ending historic polar orbit expedition

The crew's ability to go from that zero gravity environment, back to normal gravity here on Earth — all while wearing a SpaceX's 35 pound (16 kilogram) spacesuit — can help anticipate astronauts' abilities when arriving to explore places like the moon and Mars.

This was the fourth splashdown for Resilience, which previously supported crews on SpaceX's Crew-1, Inspiration4 and Polaris Dawn missions. Today was the first time a Dragon crew was recovered on the West Coast.

Resilience secured aboard Shannon recovery ship

Safely splashed down in the Pacific Ocean, SpaceX's Dragon recovery vessel Shannon has recovered the spacecraft and hoisted it onto the ship's deck off the coast of Oceanside, California. The Fram2 crew remains strapped into their seats aboard Resilience, awaiting SpaceX recovery teams opening the hatch. Then, unlike most astronaut landings, the Fram2 crew will exit their spacecraft unassisted, continuing research on the effects of microgravity on the human body.

Splashdown!

SpaceX's Fram2 has splashed down in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of Oceanside, California. Fram2 crew members Chun Wang, Jannicke Mikkelsen, Rabea Rogge and Eric Philips have returned to Earth after four days in space on the first crewed mission in polar orbit.

Read more: SpaceX's private Fram2 astronauts splash down on Earth, ending historic polar orbit expedition

Main parachute deploy!

Following the deployment of Resilience's two drogue chutes, the spacecraft has successfully deployed its four main parachutes to slow its velocity ahead of vehicle splashdown. The Crew Dragon's main parachutes deployed at approximately 12:16, at an altitude of about 6,500 feet (1980 meters). As the four main chutes opened, Resilience's velocity is slowed from about 120 mph (190 kph), to an expected 16 mph (25 kph) at splashdown.

Dragon Drogue Chutes Deploy!

The Fram2 Crew Dragon Resilience has passed through atmospheric reentry and slowed from an orbital velocity of nearly 17,500 mph (28,163 kph). Resilience deployed its drogue parachutes to slow the spacecraft's descent at approximately 12: p.m. EDT (16 GMT). Next, Resilience will deploy its four main parachutes, expected within the next minute.

Deorbit burn complete

Resilience has complete its deorbit burn to secure the Crew Dragon's trajectory on course for splashdown off the coast of Oceanside, California.

"Dragon SpaceX deorbit burn complete. Performance normal. Trunk separation sequence initiated," a SpaceX mission control official said over the company's livestream.

Dragon's nosecone began to close at approximately 11:49 a.m. EDT (1549 GMT), and the spacecraft began its final descent to Earth.

Crew Dragon begins deorbit burn

Just before 10 a.m. EDT (1400 GMT), the Fram2 crew donned their spacesuits and made their final cabin preparations before beginning the last series of operations prior to splashdown. Crew Dragon Resilience began its final deorbit burn around 11:26 a.m. EDT (1526 GMT). The burn is scheduled to last 16 minutes and will be followed by the ejection of Dragon's trunk. The Fram2 astronauts have begun a trajectory on a course for a Pacific Ocean splashdown, expected at 12:19 p.m. EDT (1619 GMT).

Heading home

The Fram2 astronauts have officially begun their journey back to Earth. In a social media post overnight, SpaceX announced the private mission orbiting the planet's poles would return today, with a return timeline posted on the mission website. If everything goes according to plan, Crew Dragon Resilience will splash down in the Pacific Ocean with the Fram2 astronauts at 12:19 a.m. ET (1619 GMT).

• 11:26 a.m. ET: Deorbit burn
• 11:42 a.m. ET: Deorbit burn cutoff
• 11:43 a.m. ET: Dragon trunk ejection
• 11:47 a.m. ET: Nosecone close
• 12:15 a.m. ET: Drogue parachute deploy
• 12:16 a.m. ET: Main parachute deploy
• 12:19 a.m. ET: Dragon splashdown

Watch SpaceX's history-making Fram2 astronaut mission return to Earth today

FRAM2 RETURNING TO EARTH ON APRIL 4

SpaceX announced on Thursday night (April 3) that Fram2 will return to Earth on Friday (April 4). Splashdown is expected at around 12:19 p.m. EDT (1619 GMT) off the coast of Southern California — the first West Coast recovery for a SpaceX astronaut mission.

You'll be able to watch the action live: SpaceX will stream Fram2's return via its website and X account on Friday, beginning about an hour before splashdown.

Flight Day 3

The private crew of SpaceX's Fram2 mission are on their third day orbiting over Earth's poles, and are capturing some amazing views of our planet below. In posts to X, Fram2 mission commander Chun posted a video showing a time-lapse of their flight between Antarctica and the Arctic.

Another shows zoomed-in camera views of Earth's snowy regions as the crew talks about what they've been observing. In one, as well, flight medical officer Eric Phillips can be seen on a video call with his son, saying, "see you tomorrow, I think," indicating the Fram2 mission may be landing as early as Friday (April 4).

"Hello, Antarctica."

The Fram2 mission is on their second full day orbiting the Earth from pole to pole. After getting used to life in microgravity, the crew is settling in nicely and making the most of their time in space. Fram2 Commander Chun posted a mission update just after midnight Wednesday, with lots to report:

@satofishi

@satofishi

Chun Wang

"The ride to orbit was much smoother than I had anticipated. Apart from the final minute before SECO, I barely felt any G-forces—it honestly felt like just another flight.

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I had imagined it would feel like being in an elevator that suddenly drops, but that sensation never came. If I hadn’t set free Tyler, the polar bear zero-gravity indicator, I might not have realized we were already weightless. I think being tightly strapped into our seat buckets made the transition less noticeable.

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The first few hours in microgravity weren’t exactly comfortable. Space motion sickness hit all of us—we felt nauseous and ended up vomiting a couple of times. It felt different from motion sickness in a car or at sea. You could still read on your iPad without making it worse. But even a small sip of water could upset your stomach and trigger vomiting.

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Rabea spent some time on the ham radio, making contact with Berlin. No one asked opening the cupola on the first day—we were all focused on managing the motion sickness. We had a movie night watching our own launch and went to sleep a bit earlier than scheduled. We all slept really well.

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By the second morning, I felt completely refreshed. The trace of motion sickness is all gone. We had breakfast, took a few X-ray images, and opened the cupola three minutes after midnight UTC—right above the South Pole.

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Stay tuned."

Fram2 on orbit

The Fram2 astronauts have now spent over half a day in their polar orbit around the Earth. Early Tuesday morning, about four hours after their liftoff from Launch Complex-39A, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, SpaceX posted the first video from Dragon's novel orbit.

The crew are expected to spend the next two to four days in orbit, collecting data and for nearly two dozen science experiments. The Crew Dragon Resilience is scheduled to perform a deorbit burn in the coming days, with an expected splashdown of the spacecraft in the Pacific Ocean.

Read more: Watch chilling 1st views of Earth's poles seen by SpaceX Fram2 astronauts (video)

SPACECRAFT SEPARATION!

Fram2's Crew Dragon capsule, named Resilience, has separated from its Falcon 9 rocket and begun flying freely. Everything continues to look good for the pioneering mission, the first crewed spaceflight ever to orbit Earth over the planet's poles.

LIFTOFF!

Fram2 has launched, sending four private astronauts on a historic three-to-five-day trip over Earth's poles. The crew will perform 22 scientific experiments over the course of the mission, one of which will grow mushrooms in space for the first time ever. Fram2 will also take X-rays of the human body in orbit, another feat that has never been done.

Such work will help pave the way for human exploration further afield, including trips to Mars, mission team members have said.

STRONGBACK RETRACT

Fram2's transporter-erector, also known as the strongback, has retracted. Everything is still on track for an on-time liftoff, which is now just minutes away.

PROPELLANT LOAD HAS BEGUN

SpaceX has begun loading propellant — liquid oxygen and the rocket-grade kerosene known as RP-1 — into the Falcon 9 rocket that will launch the Fram2 astronaut mission tonight. Everything, including the weather, is cooperating for a planned 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 can watch it here at Space.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 ready to launch

It is launch day for SpaceX's next private space mission, the first-of-its-kind Fram2 flight, which will launch a crew of four astroanuts over the Earth's poles. It is 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 Space Center 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, beginning at about 8:46 p.m. EDT (0046 GMT).

Joining Wang on the flight will be vehicle 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 known for working in challenging environments like the Arctic and open sea. Rogge is a German engineer and scientist specializing in robotics and polar research. Phillips is an Australian polar explorer who has led expeditions to the North and South Poles.

The four astronaut will spend three to five days in orbit studying Earth's poles from space, performing 22 different science experiments and enjoying their time in space. They are expected to return to Earth with a splashdown at sea.

Over the weekend, SpaceX rolled the Falcon 9 rocket out to the launch pad and performed a launch dress rehearsal with the crew.

On Sunday, the company successfully performed a static test fire of the Falcon 9's first stae, setting the stage for today's launch.

Fram2 astronauts watch Starlink launch from SpaceX Tesla

As the four Fram2 astronauts prepare for their SpaceX launch today, SpaceX itself was very busy. The company launched a Falcon 9 rocket carrying a new fleet of Starlink satellites into orbit from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, which is near NASA's Kennedy Space Center, where the four astronauts will lift off from later tonight.

The Starlink launch lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 at the Space Force Base at 3:52 p.m. EDT (1952 GMT), as the Fram2 astronauts were driving out to their SpaceX launch site in sleek black Tesla sedans. One of them had a license plate that read "Fram2Go."

"We're gonna watch a rocket launch while on the way to a rocket launch," Fram2 mission commander Chun Wang wrote on X.

Once they arrive at SpaceX's launch facility at the Kennedy Space Center, they'll proceed to Pad 39A in their SpaceX-issue spacesuits for launch. Our livestream of the launch will begin at 8:46 p.m. EDT (0046 GMT).

Below are some photos of the Fram2 crew's launch dress rehearsal over the weekend, where they practiced walkout, Crew Dragon ingress and launch.