Four tourists complete historic polar orbital flight and return to Earth

On April 4, 2025, four tourists, including Chinese-born Bitcoin investor Chun Wang, returned to Earth after a groundbreaking private spaceflight that orbited both the north and south poles. The three-and-a-half-day journey marked the first human spaceflight to achieve this polar orbit and concluded with a splashdown in the Pacific, off the coast of Southern California. The crew traveled aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule that featured a special domed window designed for panoramic views of the polar landscapes. Wang, who is now a citizen of Malta, was joined by a diverse team: Norwegian filmmaker Jannicke Mikkelsen, German robotics researcher Rabea Rogge, and Australian polar guide Eric Philips. During their journey, the passengers shared stunning visuals from space and reportedly suffered from space motion sickness upon reaching orbit. However, they soon recovered and were able to observe the South Pole from their capsule's window. Mikkelsen utilized the opportunity to document the trip extensively with her camera equipment, capturing the extraordinary vistas that unfolded during their flight. The mission, named Fram2 in homage to a historic Norwegian sailing ship that aided polar exploration over a century ago, included scientific endeavors such as taking the first medical X-ray in space and conducting two dozen other science experiments. The choice to switch the splashdown location to the Pacific was based on safety considerations, ensuring that any remaining components of the spacecraft would fall into the ocean, which had not been done by manned spaceflights in 50 years. The last recorded Pacific return involved astronauts from the 1975 Apollo-Soyuz mission. This achievement signifies a new chapter in private space exploration, showcasing the potential for scientific advancements and the allure of space tourism.