Fram2 passengers take their first pictures of Earth’s polar regions
SpaceX yesterday released a short video of the first pictures of the Earth’s polar regions taken by its Fram2 passengers on the capsule Resilience.
The picture to the right is a screen capture from that film, looking out the capsule’s large cupola window in its nose. The capsule’s nosecone can be seen at the bottom, having hinged sideways out of the way during orbital operations.
The tweet provided little information about the images. For example, it did not say which pole was imaged. Since the ground and ice below is dark, we are likely looking at the north pole, which at this time of year is mostly in shadow. You can see what looks like the edge of the ice pack, partly hidden by clouds.
The flight is scheduled to last from three to five days, and is presently in its second day. Not much information from the crew in orbit has at this point been released. I suspect they are simply enjoying their experience in private, since they are not obligated to share it with the world.
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SpaceX yesterday released a short video of the first pictures of the Earth’s polar regions taken by its Fram2 passengers on the capsule Resilience.
The picture to the right is a screen capture from that film, looking out the capsule’s large cupola window in its nose. The capsule’s nosecone can be seen at the bottom, having hinged sideways out of the way during orbital operations.
The tweet provided little information about the images. For example, it did not say which pole was imaged. Since the ground and ice below is dark, we are likely looking at the north pole, which at this time of year is mostly in shadow. You can see what looks like the edge of the ice pack, partly hidden by clouds.
The flight is scheduled to last from three to five days, and is presently in its second day. Not much information from the crew in orbit has at this point been released. I suspect they are simply enjoying their experience in private, since they are not obligated to share it with the world.
Readers!
My annual February birthday fund-raising drive for Behind the Black is now over. Thank you to everyone who donated or subscribed. While not a record-setter, the donations were more than sufficient and slightly above average.
As I have said many times before, I can’t express what it means to me to get such support, especially as no one is required to pay anything to read my work. Thank you all again!
For those readers who like my work here at Behind the Black and haven't contributed so far, please consider donating or subscribing. My analysis of space, politics, and culture, taken from the perspective of an historian, is almost always on the money and ahead of the game. For example, in 2020 I correctly predicted that the COVID panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Every one of those 2020 conclusions has turned out right.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.
Since we’re past the vernal equinox, albeit not by much, wouldn’t it be more likely to be the south pole?
Yes, and I also think it’s the South Pole because the North Pole has been ice-free for decades now, according to no less an authority than the great Al Gore himself!
Not much information from the crew in orbit has at this point been released.
Apparently they all had some serious space adaptation syndrome on Day One. That was why they delayed opening the hatch to the cupola. Hey: It can happen to anyone (just ask Frank Borman!*).
https://x.com/satofishi/status/1907286344168276215
__
* Yes, I know, Frank is no longer with us. (R.I.P.) But you can read about it in Bob’s book!
Richard–
So, they got sick?
I’m glad you brought that up, I never hear about this anymore. Need to go on a deep dive later. (This is apparently well researched!)
Can’t find the Video Clip I want, it exists but I can’t find it.
-One of the Apollo astronauts talking about taking “Scopolamine & Dexedrine” for motion sickness in space.
“Scopadex” = 25 mg of Scopolamine hydrobromide with 5 mg of Dexamphetamine.
I’m confused. It looks like we are looking at the cupola from a camera on the nosecone with the south? Pole in the background,
. The view is similar to the ones for the spacewalk mission but with the cupola bubble replaced by a railing.
I really enjoy your site. Thanks stan
Wayne,
Yeah. Chun talks about it in that tweet I linked. Sounds like all four of them got hit hard.
But they appear to be much better today.
The informal scale for space nausea in the NASA astronaut corps is a “Garn,” named after Senator Jake Garn, who spent pretty much all of his 1985 Shuttle mission as a floating vomit ball. “One Garn” means you maxed out. I wonder how the Fram2 crew feels they measured on the Garn scale?
But it looks like unlike Garn, they aren’t spending the whole mission in that state.
Stan,
Yeah, the nose cap is on a hinge, and is pulled back while they are in orbit. It has a camera on the far edge, and that’s where a lot of our Fram2 shots are coming from.
Richard M-
Again, glad you brought this up. The only thing I ever really knew about it was that a large percentage of people experienced effects and pharmaceuticals were utilized.
I just never hear of this anymore.
I think “Proxmire” is a great name for space toilets.