Syllabus :GS 3/Space
In News
- SpaceX launched the Fram2 mission, sending the first private astronaut crew on a groundbreaking journey to orbit Earth from pole to pole.
| Historical Linkages – It was named after the Norwegian ship “Fram,” which was instrumental in early 20th-century polar exploration. – The Fram participated in expeditions and played a significant role in reaching the Arctic and Antarctic regions. – Fram2 mission honors the ship’s legacy. |
SpaceX’s Fram2 mission
- The Fram2 mission lifted off atop a Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Florida, sending the Crew Dragon capsule “Resilience” into a polar orbit.
- It also allows scientists to study how astronauts’ bodies respond to weightlessness and motion sickness.
- It will last between 3 to 5 days, with the crew traveling in a novel orbital path to perform various experiments.
- The crew will perform the first-ever x-ray in space, providing insights into how microgravity affects bone and muscle density.
- It will also focus on cultivating mushrooms in space, which could offer valuable insights into sustainable food production for future space missions.
Post-Mission Task
- After returning to Earth, the crew plans to exit the Dragon spacecraft unassisted, aiding research on astronauts’ ability to perform tasks without medical or operational help after spaceflight.
| About Earth’s Polar Orbit – A polar orbit is when a satellite travels around Earth passing over or near the North and South Poles. – A deviation of up to 10 degrees from the exact poles is still considered a polar orbit. – Polar orbits fall under the category of Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Typical height range is 200 to 1000 km above Earth’s surface. Significance – As the Earth rotates beneath it, a satellite in a polar orbit can eventually scan the entire planet. – Extremely useful for: earth mapping and remote sensing, environmental monitoring & military and reconnaissance (spy) satellites. Challenges – Launching into a polar orbit requires more fuel. This is because rockets cannot take advantage of Earth’s rotational speed, unlike in equatorial launches. |
Source :IE
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