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Prelims level: Fram2 Polar-Orbiting Mission
Why in the News?
SpaceX has launched the Fram2 mission, sending four private astronauts on a groundbreaking journey to orbit Earth from pole to pole, marking a major milestone in space tourism.
About the Fram2 Polar-Orbiting Mission
- The Fram2 mission is a spaceflight undertaken by SpaceX, featuring a crew of four private astronauts.
- The mission is named after the Fram ship, a historical vessel used in early 20th-century polar expeditions.
- Unlike traditional space missions, Fram2 is designed to fly from pole to pole, completing an orbital journey around Earth that no human has attempted before.
- Its goal is to fly over both the North and South Poles, providing an unprecedented opportunity to observe these regions from low-Earth orbit.
- The mission will involve a series of scientific experiments focused on spaceflight and the effects of microgravity on the human body.
- The mission is scheduled to last between three to five days, with the astronauts aboard the Crew Dragon spacecraft completing each orbit in about 46 minutes.
Features and Significance:
- Unique Orbital Path:
- Unlike traditional orbits closer to the equator, the Fram2 mission follows a polar trajectory, covering Earth’s poles.
- This approach requires more fuel and presents a unique challenge in terms of mission logistics, making the Fram2 flight one of the most ambitious private space missions to date.
- Scientific Research:
- The crew will participate in 22 experiments, including studies on microgravity’s impact on the human body, the effects of spaceflight on muscle loss and bone density, and X-ray imaging in space.
- Additionally, the mission will gather data crucial for climate change research by focusing on Earth’s polar regions, which play a vital role in understanding global environmental changes.
- Climate Change Research:
- As part of the mission, astronauts will be able to film and observe Earth’s polar regions, contributing valuable data to climate science.
| [UPSC 2010] Consider the following statements:
The Satellite Oceansat-2 launched by India helps in 1. estimating the water vapour content in the atmosphere. 2. predicting the onset of monsoons. 3. monitoring the pollution of coastal waters. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 |
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