WASHINGTON: SpaceX is aiming to break new barriers in polar exploration with the first manned space mission over the Earth’s poles _ a private flight commanded by a crypto entrepreneur later this year, the company said on Tuesday.

The mission, dubbed Fram2 after a 19th century polar expedition schooner, is due to last between three and five days, and was purchased by Chun Wang, a wealthy bitcoin pioneer who founded f2pool and stakefish, for an undisclosed amount.

He will be joined by three polar experts: Norwegian filmmaker Jannicke Mikkelsen, German robotics researcher Rabea Rogge, and Australian polar adventurer Eric Philips.

It is the latest foray by the aerospace industry into private space tourism, growing fast in the United States in recent years.

“From mission proposal, planning, trajectory design, to crew selection, everything has been done by the customer,” Wang, reportedly born and raised in China but now a Maltese citizen, said in a post on X.

“A new chapter in space exploration is unfolding before our eyes,” he said.

Satellites have flown over the poles, but due to the Earth’s rotation, reaching them can take more power, while radiation can also be an issue, astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell said.

“To date, the highest inclination achieved by human spaceflight has been the Soviet Vostok 6 mission, at 65,” according to the mission website.

The poles are not visible from the International Space Station (ISS).

The mission will use a SpaceX Dragon capsule equipped with an observation dome. The craft will fly at an altitude of between 425 and 450 kilometres, according to SpaceX, owned by mercurial billionaire Elon Musk.

The crew plans to conduct research, including taking the first X-ray images in space and studying an aurora-like light phenomenon.

SpaceX has flown 13 manned missions in the last four years. It carries Nasa astronauts to the ISS, but has also carried out several space tourism missions, including the first in 2021, named Inspiration4, financed by American billionaire Jared Isaacman.

“Until 2021, space missions were solely the privilege of governments,” Wang wrote, adding: “Then @inspiration4x came along and changed everything.” SpaceX is set to launch another private mission, Polaris Dawn, on Aug 26, carrying four crew members including Isaacman.

It is scheduled to include the first private spacewalk.

Published in Dawn, August 14th, 2024