A Bitcoin mogul has taken off aboard a SpaceX rocket, marking the first manned spacecraft to orbit Earth above both the North and South poles.
The fully autonomous Dragon capsule is expected to complete its pole-to-pole flight in roughly 46 minutes, and it will take about 90 minutes to circle the entire planet.
Launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Monday evening, this mission represents SpaceX’s sixth private endeavor, currently orbiting at an altitude of 272 miles and a speed of 17,000 mph.
Chun Wang, originally from China and now a Bitcoin mining billionaire, has invested an undisclosed sum for this customized mission.
Reportedly, a seat in the reusable Dragon spacecraft was priced at $55 million (£42 million). Mr. Wang, who is funding the expedition, has invited three companions to join him.
Onboard are German robotics expert Rabea Rogge, Norwegian filmmaker Jannicke Mikkelsen, and Australian polar guide Eric Philips.
The crew is set to perform 22 experiments, including the first human X-rays in space and the cultivation of mushrooms in microgravity, during their mission lasting between three and five days.
Until now, no astronaut has traversed beyond 65 degrees latitude north or south, just shy of the Arctic and Antarctic Circles.
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The first woman in space, Valentina Tereshkova from the Soviet Union, established that previous record in 1963. Mikkelsen also navigated the polar route, albeit at a much lower altitude aboard a Gulfstream jet in 2019.
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The Dragon capsule is positioned on top of a Falcon9 rocket. Pic: Reuters
This mission, named Fram2, pays homage to a groundbreaking Norwegian polar research vessel from over a century ago.
As the space tourists made their way to the launchpad under police escort, they observed SpaceX launching a separate Falcon 9 rocket for the Starlink internet initiative.
“We’re going to witness a rocket launch while en route to another rocket launch,” Wang shared on X.
He mentioned that he planned this space journey to coincide with his 1,000th total flight as he pursues his goal of visiting every country in the world.
