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A Norwegian flag flown in space contributed NOK 178,000 to Fritt Ukraina.
A Norwegian flag that has orbited the Earth was sold at a charity auction this week. The flag was donated by astronaut, vehicle commander and O2XR CEO Jannicke Mikkelsen.
The auction took place during a Charity Dinner at The Thief in Oslo, organized by Schjødt in cooperation with The Macallan and Bentley. The flag is one of ten Norwegian flags Mikkelsen brought with her into space.
– The Norwegian flag is much more than a piece of fabric to me. It represents trust, responsibility, traditions and freedom, Mikkelsen writes.
The flag is one of ten Norwegian flags Mikkelsen brought with her into space.
In addition to the flag, drones and gifts from Bentley, The Macallan and The Thief were also auctioned. A car was also auctioned, with the donor accompanying the vehicle and personally driving it to Ukraine. In total, the auction raised NOK 1,198,000 for Fritt Ukraina.
– The Norwegian flag is much more than a piece of fabric to me. It represents trust, responsibility, traditions and freedom, Mikkelsen writes.
Witnessed Russian rocket attack from space
From orbit, Jannicke Mikkelsen observed a bright object that did not burn up in the atmosphere, but instead exploded in orange and yellow light near the ground. Only after checking the map did she realize she had witnessed a Russian rocket attack against Ukraine.
– It hurt to see, Mikkelsen told NTB about watching the rockets travel from Russia and strike inside Ukraine.
The 38-year-old Norwegian spent three and a half days in orbit during the very first crewed space expedition to fly from pole to pole. In total, she circled the Earth 56 times between March 31 and April 4.
Values that concern us all
– For many years we have experienced deep peace in Norway — a reality we are only now beginning to understand the importance of. As a country and as a people, we are more dependent than before on standing up for our freedom.
She connects the donation to the values at stake in Ukraine:
– Fritt Ukraina does exactly this every day. The organization delivers concrete and tireless support for Ukraine’s fight for freedom — a fight that is not only about territory, but about values that also concern us at home: self-determination, human dignity and freedom.
The flag was purchased by Olav Eek Torsteinsen after a live bidding round at the event and is preserved in a glass frame together with its documented space history.
The auction proceeds will fund further deliveries of critical equipment and support through Fritt Ukraina’s projects. Fritt Ukraina extends its sincere thanks to the donor, the organizers, and the buyer for an extraordinary contribution.
About Jannicke Mikkelsen
Jannicke Mikkelsen is a Norwegian cinematographer, technologist and commercial astronaut, specializing in 3D, VR and advanced visual documentation in extreme environments. She has worked internationally with NASA and leading documentary and technology teams. In April 2025, she served as vehicle commander on the commercial Fram2 mission — the first crewed spaceflight in a polar orbit around Earth, carried out with SpaceX. The mission enabled unique observations of the polar regions and marked an important milestone in commercial human spaceflight.