Aussie astronaut Eric Philips to make history with SpaceX launch

The SpaceX capsule carrying South Australian polar explorer Eric Philips and three other astronauts has launched, sending the team on a history-making trip.

The SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule carrying South Australian polar explorer Eric Philips and three other astronauts has launched, taking the team on what will be a history-making mission. The four Fram2 crew members are taking part in what will be the first human spaceflight over the Earth’s polar regions.

Cheers rang out in the control room in Florida as the powerful Falcon 9 rocket roared upward, lighting up the night sky with a long, orange plume of flame as the craft began its journey toward Earth’s North and South Poles.

Mr Philips is set to be the first Australian to enter orbit under the Aussie flag.

Dragon has separated from Falcon 9’s second stage pic.twitter.com/v6tv0PWZMa

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) April 1, 2025

(Former NASA astronaut Andy Thomas, and Elaine Chia Hyde, who flew with Blue Origin in February, are both Australian and US dual citizens.)

The SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, carrying the four astronauts, lifted off from the launch pad in NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.

Eric Philips, a polar guide from South Australia; Rabea Rogge, a robotics researcher from Germany; Norwegian filmmaker Jannicke Mikkelsen and Chun Wang, a Chinese-born bitcoin investor who is paying for the whole spaceflight. Picture: SpaceX via AP

It is the first space mission for Mr Philips, who has extensive experience guiding expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic regions.

Named “Fram2” after the famed Norwegian ship built in the 19th century for Arctic and Antarctic expeditions, the mission will feature a range of experiments including taking the first X-ray in space and growing mushrooms in microgravity.

It’s hoped that the research will support future long-duration space travel to Mars.

“With the same pioneering spirit as early polar explorers, we aim to bring back new data and knowledge to advance the long-term goals of space exploration,” said mission commander Chun Wang.

Eric Philips will be the first astronaut to fly under the Australian flag. Picture: Supplied

The Chinese-born Maltese adventurer is the co-founder of crypto companies f2pool and skatefish.

The team also includes vehicle commander Jannicke Mikkelsen, a Norwegian film director and mission pilot Rabea Rogge, a robotics researcher from Germany.

They trained for eight months in preparation for the approximately four-day trip, including a wilderness expedition in Alaska to simulate living in close quarters under harsh conditions.

Eric Philips with Fram2 crew members Rabea Rogget and Jannicke Mikkelsen.

Eric Philips has extensive experience guiding expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic regions. Picture: Petter Nyquist

Eric Philips will be the first astronaut to fly under the Australian flag. Picture: Supplied

Upon returning to Earth, the crew will attempt to exit the spacecraft without additional medical support — part of a study to help researchers understand how well astronauts can perform basic tasks after spaceflight.

Except for the Apollo lunar missions, Earth’s polar regions have remained out of view for astronauts, including those aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Even on Apollo, they did not fly directly over the Earth’s poles.

SpaceX has carried out five private astronaut missions to date — three in collaboration with Axiom Space to the ISS, and two free-flying in Earth orbit.

The first of these was Inspiration4 in 2021, followed by Polaris Dawn, which featured the first space walk conducted by private astronauts.

Both free-flying missions were chartered by e-payments billionaire Jared Isaacman, who has also been nominated by US President Donald Trump to serve as the next NASA administrator.

Isaacman is also a close associate of SpaceX CEO Elon Musk.

— with AFP

Originally published as Aussie astronaut Eric Philips to make history with SpaceX launch