On social media, many viewers stunned after a viral video from SpacX showing ‘insane’ footage of Earth’s polar regions
SpaceX has released breathtaking footage of Earth’s polar regions from its Dragon spacecraft.
The Fram2 mission successfully achieved a groundbreaking milestone in space exploration.
Fram2 mission captures first-ever polar orbit views
On April 1 at 9:46 PM, a Falcon 9 rocket carrying SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Fram2 mission aimed to orbit Earth from pole to pole, a feat never before accomplished by humans.
Elon Musk confirmed the mission’s success, announcing: “This is the first time humans have been in orbit around the poles of Earth!”
Astronauts capture rare polar views
Four private astronauts aboard Dragon are orbiting 270 miles above Earth. Over 4-5 days, they will pass over both poles multiple times.
SpaceX stated that the mission could “unlock new possibilities for human spaceflight” and expand knowledge of Earth’s polar regions.
On Twitter, SpaceX shared the first images from the mission, sparking global reactions.
“This is the first time humans have been in orbit around the poles of Earth!” Musk said, retweeting the post.
SpaceX shared a video that clearly captures Antarctica’s vast and rugged terrain, covered in thick blankets of ice, leaving social media users impressed by the views from Dragon.
Social media reacts to historic event
The footage showed the first views of Earth’s polar regions from SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, leaving viewers shocked and praising Elon Musk for his mission to capture these historic views.
Twitter users were quick to respond.
One simply wrote: “Insane.
A second wrote: Rough day for the flat earthers.
While a third commented: Stunning launch tonight! Wow!
Someone else said: Why haven’t we done this before?
Another added: These sights have never been seen before with human eyes.
Somone wrote: I’m trying to work out where the camera is on the Dragon. Is it on the dome’s protective cover?
Great job so far and good luck with the rest of your journe. Another said.
Why humans have never orbited the poles before
Most crewed space missions head straight to space stations.
The International Space Station (ISS) orbits at 51.6 degrees, while China’s Tiangong station orbits at 41.5 degrees. These inclinations limit how far north or south spacecraft travel.
Fram2’s mission follows a 90-degree inclination, making it the first polar orbit for a crewed spacecraft.
The highest inclination for a crewed flight before this was the Soviet Vostok 6 mission in 1963, which reached 65 degrees.
Achieving a 90-degree orbit requires extreme precision, additional fuel, and careful flight path planning. Increased radiation exposure at high latitudes adds further risk.
In a press release, crew member Wang expressed gratitude for the opportunity: “After extensive training, we are honored to continue the Fram legacy. We are excited to be the first crew to view and capture Earth’s polar regions from low-Earth orbit.”