Eric Philips, who runs an adventure company that takes people on ski expeditions to Antarctica, was first asked if he wanted to go into orbit via text, and replied, “Well, look, you know, I’m interested.”
It comes after it was quietly revealed last month that the explorer was one of four picked to take part in SpaceX’s sixth private astronaut mission.
The mission, Fram2, is being funded by cryptocurrency entrepreneur Chun Wang and will observe Earth’s polar regions to spot unusual light emissions resembling auroras.
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Now, in his first major interview since the news broke, Philips said he first became interested in space exploration after watching the Apollo astronauts land on the moon.
“I was captivated ever since,” he said.
He revealed that two years ago, Wang, then one of his clients, talked to him about space travel. A year later, he followed up by text.
“The text was words to the effect of, ‘I’m continuing the idea of this mission into space, and I’m looking for a polar explorer’.”
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“Little did I know that I would be the chosen one.”
The mission is set to blast off in December and will spend three to five days in low-Earth orbit, speeding from the north to the south pole every 45 minutes.
According to SpaceX, the crew will study “green fragments and mauve ribbons of continuous emissions comparable to the phenomenon known as STEVE (Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement), which has been measured at an altitude of approximately 400 to 500 kilometres above Earth’s atmosphere”.
It will be commanded by Wang, while Philips will act as a mission specialist and medic.
“Wang aims to use the mission to highlight the crew’s explorational spirit, bring a sense of wonder and curiosity to the larger public, and highlight how technology can help push the boundaries of exploration of Earth and through the mission’s research,” SpaceX said.
“Throughout the 3-to-5-day mission, the crew plans to observe Earth’s polar regions through Dragon’s cupola at an altitude of 425–450 kilometres [249 to 264 miles], leveraging insight from space physicists and citizen scientists to study unusual light emissions resembling auroras.”
Eric Philips will become the fourth Australian to have visited space following Dr Chris Boshuizen’s mission with Blue Origin in 2021.
Previously, both Paul Scully-Power and Andy Thomas left Earth, but both did so as US citizens.
Adam Thorn
Adam is a journalist who has worked for more than 40 prestigious media brands in the UK and Australia. Since 2005, his varied career has included stints as a reporter, copy editor, feature writer and editor for publications as diverse as Fleet Street newspaper The Sunday Times, fashion bible Jones, media and marketing website Mumbrella as well as lifestyle magazines such as GQ, Woman’s Weekly, Men’s Health and Loaded. He joined Momentum Media in early 2020 and currently writes for Australian Aviation and World of Aviation.
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