A 29-year-old Berlin robotics researcher launched on a SpaceX rocket, became the first German woman in space. In a live launch broadcast by SpaceX, Rabea Rogge was one of four “international adventurers” who departed from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Rogge is the first woman and the thirteenth German national to fly in space, according to the German Aerospace Centre.
On board SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, the team will spend three to five days exploring the polar areas of Earth to investigate a phenomenon called “Steve” that involves purple ribbons in the sky that resemble the northern lights. Before moving to the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, where she is currently doing her doctoral thesis, Rogge attended ETH Zurich to study electrical engineering and information technology. Chun Wang, a bitcoin billionaire who was born in China and is a Maltese national, invited her to join the flight. According to reports, Wang and Rogge first crossed paths while preparing for an excursion to the Svalbard island in northern Norway.
“Our crew is strong, our training is intensive and our goal is not only to overcome boundaries, but also to create new opportunities for space travel and science,” Rogge told dpa ahead of the launch.
“History was made today,” said Walther Pelzer, director general of the German Space Agency. Rogge will “inspire many young people to get excited about science and technology,” he said.
On German radio station rbb24, a former head of the European Space Agency (ESA) issued a warning against the exploitation of space flight for tourism. According to Jan Wörner, who oversaw the ESA from 2015 until 2021, every rocket launch represents an environmental cost.
“I hope that we don’t start moving cruise ships into space now,” said Wörner.
According to SpaceX, the mission, named Fram2 after a Norwegian polar research ship from the 19th century, will look at how mushrooms grow in zero gravity and create the first X-ray photos of people in space. It will travel between 425 and 450 km above the ground.
“With this mission, we want to show a pioneering spirit, arouse curiosity and demonstrate technological innovation,” Rogge told dpa. She added: “I find it really encouraging to see how far we have come as a human race – if it is possible to build autonomous spaceships, then anything should be possible.”
Rogge took questions from members of the Technical University of Berlin’s amateur radio society just hours after taking off. Early on Tuesday, as Rogge flew over the German city aboard the Dragon capsule, the pupils radioed her.
“Can you hear me?” asked the 29-year-old, before responding to two questions – including one from Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner on how more people can be inspired by space travel. The PhD candidate, who grew up in Berlin, advised people to not be “the person that says no to other persons’ dreams.” “Be the person that always says yes and lift up people if they have a new idea,” she added. Rogge also had time to share details on what her tasks are on board the spacecraft. “My tasks on board this spacecraft are piloting and research coordination,” she said, before the signal cut out.
