Four space tourists have made history by orbiting the Earth in a private trip, passing over both the North and South Poles. Their spacecraft, launched by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, splashed down safely in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California.
This mission, called Fram2, was the first to take a polar route, flying over the North and South Poles. The tourists, who spent three and a half days in space, included Chinese-Maltese billionaire investor Chun Wang, Norwegian film director Yannick Mikkelsen, German robotics researcher Rabia Roque, and Australian polar guide Eric Phillips.
On board, they enjoyed breathtaking 360-degree views of the poles through a special dome window. They also conducted over 24 scientific experiments, including the world’s first in-space X-ray of the human body, while floating 430 kilometers above the Earth.
The spacecraft’s splashdown in the Pacific Ocean was a deliberate choice by SpaceX for safety reasons, to ensure that any debris from the spacecraft would fall harmlessly into the sea. This historic mission marked a new milestone in commercial space tourism, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in space travel.
The tourists’ journey began on April 4, 2023, when the Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. From there, they flew south over Florida, Cuba, and Panama, entering a unique polar orbit that took them over the North and South Poles.
As they traveled through space, the tourists experienced stunning views of the Earth and conducted important scientific research. Their trip was made possible by advances in commercial space technology, which are making it possible for more people to access space.
The success of this mission is a significant step forward for space tourism, demonstrating the potential for private companies to take people on extraordinary journeys through space. With its innovative polar route and scientific experiments, the Fram2 mission has set a new standard for commercial space travel.