Milestones and Firsts in Space Exploration

On 31 March 2025, Rabea Rogge will make history as Germany’s first female astronaut and the first astronaut to be an alumna of Switzerland Innovation Park Zurich (IPZ). She will launch aboard the Fram2 mission, alongside three other astronauts. This landmark human spaceflight will be the first to traverse the polar regions.

The privately funded Fram2 mission will carry out 22 research experiments, including one developed through a unique collaboration between Switzerland and Nevis. This experiment is a collaboration between the University of Zurich (UZH), partner of the Center for Space and Aviation Switzerland and Liechtenstein (CSA), and the Ministry of Education of Nevis (MOE) in the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis.

Aboard the Fram2 mission, Rabea Rogge, serving as Vehicle Pilot, will activate this “Space Genomics” experiment, developed at Switzerland Innovation Park Zurich by Professor Oliver Ullrich, Director of the Center for Space and Aviation Switzerland (CSA) and Director of the Institute for Aerospace Medicine of the University of Zurich, and Dr. Cora Thiel of the Institute for Aerospace Medicine. The experiment was selected through a competitive process and stands as the only Swiss experiment aboard this landmark flight.

The experiment focuses on genomic architecture and adaptive mechanisms in space environments. The research investigates how gravitational forces influence gene expression, with implications for long-term human adaptation in space—critical knowledge for future space exploration.

Rabea Rogge earned her Master of Science at ETH Zurich and was a key member of ARIS, an ETH student project focused on rocketry, satellites, and robotics, based at IPZ. From September 2021 to April 2023, she played an instrumental role in the 30+ student nanosatellite mission SAGE. The Swiss Artificial Gravity Experiment (SAGE) aimed to launch a pioneering satellite centrifuge to study the effects of milligravity on human cell aging.

In 2022, Rogge participated in the 6th Swiss Parabolic Flight Campaign, where she tested a CubeSat in microgravity—experience that directly contributed to her selection for the Fram2 mission.

"The selection of both an IPZ-developed experiment and a former ETH student who worked at IPZ demonstrates our institution's established space expertise and our ability to rapidly implement projects for space missions," said Peter Bodmer, President of the IPZ Foundation.

Accelerating Switzerland's New Space Ecosystem

The pioneering Fram2 polar space mission exemplifies the New Space Economy and the private sector's growing role in utilizing low Earth orbit. The rapid timeline from experiment approval to launch—just five months—showcases the agility and efficiency possible in commercial space ventures compared to traditional government space agency timelines.

This achievement comes on the heels of another significant milestone for IPZ: the December 2024 signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Starlab GmbH, the IPZ Foundation, and the Center for Space and Aviation Switzerland for establishing the Starlab Ground Segment at the Innovation Park.

"Together, these developments represent crucial steps in building the New Space ecosystem at IPZ," says Oliver Ullrich from CSA. "We're creating an environment where space research, talent development, and commercial applications converge to position Switzerland as a leader in the rapidly evolving space economy."

The Fram2 mission highlights how IPZ is successfully bridging academic research, industry innovation, and international collaboration to advance Switzerland's position in the global space sector.

To view the full press release of the UZH Space Hub at Switzerland Innovation Park Zurich, click here: The Dawn of a New Space Era: Swiss-Nevisian Partnership Embarks on Historic Polar Space Mission

Vehicle Pilot Rabea Rogge during mission training (Source: Fram2 Crew)

Rabea Rogge (third from right) at Switzerland Innovation Park Zurich during the 6th Swiss Parabolic Flight Campaign. © Regina Sablotny