Crypto entrepreneur embarks on historic space flight over Earth's poles with SpaceX

8/15/2024 6:01:10 AM

(MENAFN) A cryptocurrency entrepreneur has secured a private spaceflight with SpaceX, scheduled to launch by the end of the year, marking the first manned mission to orbit over the Earth's poles. The voyage, set to last between three and five days and accommodate four passengers, is part of the burgeoning private space tourism industry in the United States. The flight will be piloted by Chun Wang, co-founder of Bitcoin mining firms F2Pool and Stickfish, who recently became a Maltese citizen after being born and raised in China. Wang has expressed his excitement about the mission, noting that he has been eagerly anticipating this flight for the past two and a half years, and is thrilled to witness a new chapter in space exploration.

Astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell explained that while polar orbits are commonly used by satellites for purposes such as spying and meteorology, reaching such an orbit requires significant power due to the increased radiation levels. The mission's website highlights that the highest inclination achieved by a manned spaceflight to date was 65 degrees, as seen in the Soviet Vostok 6 mission, and that the poles are not visible from the International Space Station. This upcoming flight represents a groundbreaking venture in private space travel, pushing the boundaries of human space exploration.

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