SpaceX Plans Two Launches, Including Polar Orbit Research Mission

Insider Brief

• SpaceX will launch four first-time astronauts Monday night aboard a reused Dragon capsule for Fram2, its first human mission to polar orbit, focused on health and science experiments.
• The crew will conduct 22 experiments including the first x-ray in space, mushroom growth in microgravity, and exercise trials to test muscle and bone health, with a goal of evaluating astronaut performance after return to Earth.
• The Falcon 9 rocket, reusing both booster and spacecraft, aims to lift off from Kennedy Space Center at 9:46 p.m. EST, with a separate Starlink launch the same day from Cape Canaveral.

SpaceX plans to launch four astronauts aboard a reused Dragon spacecraft Monday night in a mission that will fly over Earth’s polar regions for the first time and test key health experiments for future long-duration spaceflight.

The mission, called Fram2, will place the Dragon capsule into a polar orbit and the crew will carry out 22 scientific experiments, including the first x-ray taken in space, tests to maintain muscle and bone mass in microgravity, and studies on growing mushrooms in weightless conditions, according to the company.

Liftoff is scheduled for 9:46 p.m. EST from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, with three backup windows extending into early April 1. If needed, the launch window will be shifted starting Tuesday night. Viewers can watch the launch live on SpaceX’s webcast, on X @SpaceX, or on the new X TV app, beginning about an hour before liftoff.

One of the key goals is to understand how the human body reacts and adapts to spaceflight. The mission includes exercise studies aimed at preserving skeletal and muscle health, a persistent challenge during extended stays in space.

“Additionally, after safely returning to Earth, the crew plans to exit from the Dragon spacecraft without additional medical and operational assistance, helping researchers characterize the ability of astronauts to perform unassisted functional tasks after short and long durations in space,” SpaceX noted in a statement on the mission.

The crew of Fram2 includes four first-time space travelers. Mission Commander Chun Wang, Vehicle Commander Jannicke Mikkelsen, Vehicle Pilot Rabea Rogge, and Mission Specialist and Medical Officer Eric Philips will each be making their inaugural trip to space.

The Dragon spacecraft in use for the mission previously flew mission Crew-1 to the International Space Station; Inspiration4, the first all-civilian mission to orbit; and Polaris Dawn, which included the first commercial spacewalk. The Falcon 9 rocket’s first stage booster is also reused, having supported five previous launches, including missions for NASA, commercial payloads, and SpaceX’s own Starlink satellites.

After launch, the Falcon 9 booster will attempt a landing on SpaceX’s drone ship, “A Shortfall of Gravitas,” stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. This method of recovering and reusing rocket components has become a hallmark of SpaceX’s cost-saving strategy.

SpaceX has also scheduled a launch of 28 Starlink satellites aboard Falcon 9 on the same day from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Liftoff is targeted for 3:32 p.m. EST, with backup opportunities available until 6:40 p.m. EST. If needed, additional opportunities are also available on Tuesday, April 1 starting at 2:24 p.m. EST.

Last week, NASA announced it was adding SpaceX’s Dragon rocket to its NASA Launch Services (NLS) II contract with the existing Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launch service offerings.