TWiS 155: Space News You Can Use - Fram2 Crew, Blue Origin, Johnston Island, JAXA - podcast episode cover

TWiS 155: Space News You Can Use - Fram2 Crew, Blue Origin, Johnston Island, JAXA

This Week in Space (Audio)
Apr 04, 2025•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 155
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Episode description

This week, it's cool space news you can use (if you're not stuck on the ISS!). We look at the recent flight of Fram 2, the first spacecraft to fly a polar orbit; recent revelations about the flight of Starliner from commander Butch Wilmore; a mysterious Russian satellite behaving strangely; and carnivorous Martian dust devils. We also update you on SpaceX's next test of Starship, SpinLaunch's mighty "space cannon," recent experiments on abating lunar dust, and much more. Join us!

  • Fram 2 Mission - SpaceX's private orbital mission financed by cryptocurrency billionaire Chun Wang completed a four-day flight, making history as the first mission to send astronauts over Earth's poles.
  • Amazon's Kuiper Satellites - Amazon launched its first batch of 27 Kuiper internet satellites on an Atlas 5 rocket, beginning its planned 3,200-satellite constellation to compete with SpaceX's Starlink.
  • Blue Origin's All-Female Flight Controversy? - Actress Olivia Munn is blasting the all-female crew for Blue Origin's next suborbital flight for its costly, gluttonous mission.
  • Tariffs Impact on Space Industry - The hosts discussed how new tariffs could affect aerospace companies that rely on international partnerships and imported components for spacecraft manufacturing.
  • US Military Cargo Delivery with SpaceX - The US military's Rocket Cargo Vanguard program plans to test using SpaceX's Starship to deliver 100 tons of cargo anywhere in the world in under 90 minutes.
  • Starliner's Harrowing Mission - New details revealed that Boeing's Starliner mission was more dangerous than initially reported, with multiple thruster failures creating serious maneuvering issues, threatening to leave them adrift in space.
  • Mysterious Russian Satellites - Three Russian satellites (Cosmos 2581-2583) were observed performing proximity operations and possibly deploying another object in orbit, raising concerns about their purpose.
  • Starship Test 9 Preparations - SpaceX is preparing to refly a Starship booster with 29 reused engines, marking progress toward their fully reusable rocket system.
  • Japan's Mars Plans - JAXA is planning to send multiple mini rovers to Mars using an inflatable heat shield technology to enable larger payload deliveries, and add a lander to Phobos.
  • Cannibal Dust Devils on Mars - The Perseverance rover captured images of two dust devils on Mars merging, with the larger one (210 feet wide) absorbing a smaller one (16 feet wide).
  • Lunar Dust Mitigation Technology - NASA successfully tested an electrodynamic dust shield on Firefly's Blue Ghost lunar lander that could help manage the highly problematic lunar dust on future missions.
  • Asteroid 2024 YR4 Update - James Webb Space Telescope observations determined the asteroid is about 200 feet wide with a slightly increased 3.8% chance of hitting the moon in 2032, up from 1.7%.
  • SpinLaunch's Satellite Plans - SpinLaunch received $12 million in funding to develop an enhanced system using centrifugal force to launch up to 250 satellites at once, potentially offering a more cost-effective and environmentally friendly launch alternative.

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

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Transcript

Primary Navigation Podcasts Club Blog Subscribe Sponsors More… Tech Space Pioneers and Public Perception: Fram 2 and Blue Origin's Groundbreaking Missions

Apr 8th 2025 by Anthony Nielsen

AI-created, human-edited. 

In the latest episode of This Week in Space, hosts Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik delve into two fascinating recent space missions that represent significant milestones in private spaceflight: the Fram 2 mission's historic polar orbit and the upcoming all-female Blue Origin flight that's generating unexpected controversy.

Fram 2: The First Polar Orbital Mission

One of the most technically significant private space missions recently concluded without much fanfare. As Tariq Malik noted during the podcast, the Fram 2 mission — financed by cryptocurrency billionaire Chun Wang of Malta — just returned to Earth after a four-day journey that made spaceflight history.

"This was the very first ever in the 60-plus [years] of space exploration flight that sent astronauts over Earth's poles," Malik explained during the show. This unique trajectory differs dramatically from the equatorial or space station-inclined orbits that have been standard for human spaceflight since its inception.

The mission name "Fram" pays homage to a famous polar expedition ship, fitting for Wang who has previously explored Earth's poles and climbed mountains. His desire to view Earth's poles from space drove this groundbreaking mission trajectory.

What stood out to both hosts was how this significant achievement received relatively little media attention compared to other private space missions like Polaris Dawn. Malik suggested this was likely by design, as Wang seemingly preferred a lower-profile approach compared to Jared Isaacman's philanthropy-focused missions.

Despite the lower public profile, the Fram 2 mission included 22 different experiments, including coordinated aurora photography from space and featured interesting communication innovations. The hosts noted that the crew shared video snippets of life on the capsule through Starlink connections, giving glimpses into the experience in near real-time.

Blue Origin's All-Female Crew and the Unexpected Backlash

The conversation then shifted to Blue Origin's upcoming April 14th suborbital flight, which has become surprisingly controversial. This mission, organized by Lauren Sanchez (fiancée of Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos), will feature an all-female crew including celebrities like Katy Perry and news reporter Gayle King.

What perplexed both hosts was the disproportionate criticism this particular mission has received compared to previous Blue Origin flights. Malik highlighted that previous flights carrying William Shatner, Michael Strahan, Wally Funk, and even Jeff Bezos himself didn't generate nearly as much negative attention.

"This is the one that is getting the biggest backlash... it feels like it's open season on this mission," Malik observed. "Why do you think this mission is being blasted so publicly, whereas the last 10 have not been?"

The hosts specifically mentioned criticism from actress Olivia Munn that had been echoing throughout news outlets. While acknowledging that space tourism represents "conspicuous consumption" during challenging economic times, the hosts questioned why this specific mission was receiving exceptional criticism when the same fundamental concerns would apply to all space tourism flights.

Rod Pyle noted that the mission uses relatively minimal resources for its brief suborbital journey, comparing it to "a couple of jet airliners." Both hosts left listeners with an open question about why this particular mission might be facing intensified scrutiny.

This Week in Space covers these stories and much more, including discussions about SpaceX's Starship testing, mysterious Russian satellites, tariffs affecting the space industry, and even "cannibal" dust devils on Mars. For the complete conversation, tune in to Episode 155: "Cool Space News You Can Use (If You're Not Stuck on the ISS)" wherever you get your podcasts.

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Apr 4 2025 - Space News You Can Use
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