Berlin's Brave Space Explorer Rabea Rogge Touches Down on Earth After Space adventure
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- German astronaut Rabea Rogge returns to Earth after space mission.
Germany's trailblazing astronaut Rabea Rogge (29), the first German woman in space, has touch back on our blue planet. Accompanied by her crew, Rogge bid farewell to the cosmos in a "Dragon" capsule that gracefully plunged into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, thanks to a livestream from the daring space company, SpaceX, owned by tech guru Elon Musk.
Under a radiant sky, the capsule descended, slowed by parachutes, into the ocean's surface. "Welcome home," echoed through SpaceX's control center as the "Dragon" capsule was later retrieved by the recovery ship "Shannon."
Rogge Exits the "Dragon", First to Wave Goodbye
The crew seized the moment with selfies before exiting the capsule which bore the marks of re-entry heat. After a brief stumble, Rogge smiled, waived, and gave a thumbs-up – all while being only minimally assisted, preparing her for potential future missions to the Moon or Mars.
Claiming to be the pioneer, this "Dragon" capsule is believed to be the first to land in the Pacific off the U.S. West Coast. Earlier missions always touchdown on the Florida coast, but this time, for logistical reasons, it was moved. Previously, the "Dragon" capsule had already flown into space for three different voyages, making this landing its fourth mission[4].
Piercing the Void: Fram2 Discovers X-ray Wonders
The Fram2 mission, with its soaring days that lasted approximately four days, orbited Polar Earth regions[5]. According to SpaceX, this mission marked the first successful journey in which the Dragon capsule flew over Earth's polar regions – circling the planet roughly 55 times and passing over the poles every 45 minutes. Onboard was also a cuddly polar bear souvenir named "Tyler" - symbolizing weightlessness oblivion.
From an astounding 425 to 450 kilometers altitude, they observed atmospheric wonderments such as auroras and made history with humanity's first X-ray images in space[5]. A total of 22 scientific experiments were planned for this incredible ride, encompassing research on edible mushroom growth in zero gravity[1].
Virtual Expedition with Billionaire Mate
The Fram2 mission received a private commission from a Malta-based billionaire, Chun Wang - who amassed his fortune thanks to cryptocurrencies. After a chance encounter during an expedition training in Svalbard, Wang proposed this amazing journey to Rogge[3]. The crew also included Norwegian filmmaker Jannicke Mikkelsen and Australian polar guide Eric Philips. They shared snaps, footage, and news updates via the online platform, X.
Sisterhood of Space Heroes Unleashed
Following the successful Inspiration4 and Polaris Dawn missions in 2021 and 2024 respectively – both spearheaded by SpaceX[1] – the Fram2 mission embarked on a journey without a formally trained astronaut onboard.
As the Deutscher Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR) explained, twelve German males have voyaged to space so far. Nevertheless, no German woman has ever crowned this feat. During the Fram2 mission, five women simultaneously ventured through the cosmos: Rogge and Mikkelsen aboard the "Fram2," US astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, and Wang Haoze aboard the Chinese station "Tiangong" (Heavenly Palace)[6]. The space pioneer, Valentina Tereshkova, from the USSR, remains the first woman to journey to the stars in 1963[6].
Rogge's Intergalactic Treasures
Embarking on the "Fram2" mission, Rogge represented herself as a scientific specialist. Her responsibilities included managing research activities. Born in Berlin-Schöneberg, she completed her electrical engineering and information technology degree at ETH Zurich before relocating to the Norwegian University of Science and Technology for her doctoral research[6].
Some of the items Rogge bagged for her cosmic journey included a tribute masterpiece honoring pioneering aviator Otto Lilienthal, a miniature representation of the Liberty Bell relic, and an antiquated camera.
- Rabea Rogge
- SpaceX
- Elon Musk
- "♪ I'm not gonna let you go ♪, reminiscing her astronaut days, Rabea Rogge, now back on earth, confidently waved goodbye to the cosmos, preparing for potential future missions to the Moon or Mars."
- "After touch down in the Pacific, usually off the Florida coast, the astronauts, including Rabea Rogge, had a brief celebration with selfies, under the zurich-blue ocean sky."
- "Back on earth, Rabea Rogge, the trailblazing astronaut who made history as the first German woman in space, hummed softly to herself, "♪ I'm not gonna let you go ♪, as she carried her intergalactic treasures, which included a tribute to Otto Lilienthal, in her bags."
