SpaceX has carried out the first crewed flyby of Earth in a polar orbit in history. The Fram2 mission launched on March 31, and today the Crew Dragon capsule “Resilience,” with four astronauts aboard, successfully returned to Earth, splashing down in the Pacific Ocean.
Earlier, polar orbits were considered too risky for crewed missions. Now, thanks to new launch trajectories, improved radiation protection, and the high reliability of rockets, these routes have become accessible.
The flight was accompanied by 22 scientific experiments, including growing fungi in microgravity and studying the effects of X-ray radiation on humans.
The first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket—described as the most expensive part of the vehicle—was also successfully recovered. This can reduce costs and the amount of waste. The Fram2 mission could mark the beginning of a new era of crewed flights around the entire perimeter of the Earth.
