The "Fram2" mission marks a historic milestone with Rabea Rogge becoming the first German woman to venture into space. This mission, operated by SpaceX, will see a team of four traverse the polar regions of Earth, an area not directly flown over by previous manned missions. Utilising a Crew-Dragon capsule launched by a Falcon-9 rocket, the crew will embark on a four-day journey, conducting over 20 experiments, including pioneering X-ray imaging in space and studying fungal growth in microgravity.
Initiated by Maltese adventurer Chun Wang, the mission is a dream realised. Wang, who amassed wealth through cryptocurrency ventures, has long aspired to explore both space and Earth's polar extremes. Joining him is Rabea Rogge, a Berlin-based robotics researcher who brings expertise from her work in satellite missions and marine robotics in the Arctic. Norwegian filmmaker Jannicke Mikkelsen and Australian polar guide Eric Philips complete the team.
The mission honours the spirit of early polar exploration, taking its name from the historic Norwegian ship "Fram" used in 19th-century Arctic and Antarctic expeditions. Beyond its symbolic value, "Fram2" aims to contribute to the future of space exploration, potentially informing missions to Mars. Upon their return, the crew will attempt to exit their spacecraft without medical support, an experiment to gauge astronauts' capabilities post-flight.
Rogge's participation breaks new ground for Germany, following in the footsteps of Sigmund Jähn, the first German in space in 1978, and Matthias Maurer, the most recent in 2021/22. Her journey signifies a significant step forward for gender representation in space exploration.
