SpaceX's Fram2 mission launches private crew on March 31

SpaceX is preparing for its Fram2 mission, aimed at launching private astronauts into polar orbit. The liftoff is scheduled for Monday, March 31, from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39-A. This mission features a crew led by Chun Wang, a cryptocurrency entrepreneur originally from China, along with three friends. The Fram2 mission follows a previous flight for NASA and aims to mark a record turnaround for human spaceflights from the same launch pad. The Crew Dragon Resilience spacecraft has already arrived in Florida, and the crew recently finished their training in California. The first launch window opens at 11:20 p.m. on March 31, with additional backup times early on April 1. Chun Wang and his crew have been training since December 2023. They have shared updates about their preparations, including simulator sessions for deorbit and splashdown procedures. The mission is designed to last three to five days, reaching an altitude of 264 to 279 miles. The crew plans to study unusual light emissions and conduct research on the effects of space travel on the human body. Fram2 will also see a change in recovery operations, as it will not splash down off the Florida coast. Instead, SpaceX is moving recovery efforts to the West Coast to improve control during re-entry. This mission highlights a continuing trend of commercial space travel, with more planned flights from SpaceX later this year.