Private polar expeditions are venturing into new territory: space. Cryptocurrency investor Chun Wang has secured a multi-day SpaceX flight for an undisclosed sum, with plans to lead the first crewed mission in polar orbit, covering a full circumnavigation of Earth. The mission, named “Fram2” in honor of the 19th-century polar exploration ship Fram, is slated to launch later this year. It will be launched aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket using the Dragon capsule “Endurance,” a name reflecting explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton’s famous ship.
Wang has enlisted three Arctic specialists for the mission: Jannicke Mikkelsen, a Norwegian filmmaker; Eric Philips, an Australian explorer and guide; and Rabea Rogge, a German researcher. Wang, 42, originally from Tianjin, China, and now a Maltese citizen, described his interest in space and the opportunity to design a personal mission. “I’ve been interested in space from a very young age,” Wang told CNBC.
The cost of such a multi-day mission remains high, accessible primarily to ultra-high-net-worth individuals. While SpaceX does not publicly disclose prices for crewed missions, NASA has previously reported a cost of about $55 million per seat on the Dragon, suggesting a mission price in excess of $200 million. Wang confirmed he funded the mission but declined to provide specifics.
Wang, who has kept a low profile aside from showcasing his global travels, has significant ties to cryptocurrency, having mined 7,700 bitcoins valued at approximately $450 million. He is also a co-founder of F2Pool, a major cryptocurrency mining operation.
The Fram2 mission, following the Inspiration4 flight in 2021, will include a “cupola” window and is planned for three to five days in orbit. The mission aims to conduct research on the upper atmosphere and the effects of spaceflight on the human body. Crew training has commenced with SpaceX and prior “extreme environment” training in Alaska. Mikkelsen expressed hopes of creating an immersive experience through documentary production, while Wang emphasized making space more accessible to individuals.
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