Cryptocurrency speculator Chun Wang has made history by purchasing a multi-day flight from SpaceX for an undisclosed amount. This monumental acquisition marks a significant milestone, as it will lead to the first crewed spaceflight in polar orbit, flying end-to-end over the Earth. The mission, named "Fram2," pays homage to the 19th-century polar expedition ship Fram and is scheduled to launch later this year.

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket will carry the Fram2 mission, utilizing its thrice-flown Dragon capsule named Endurance. This coincides with NASA's previous naming of its spacecraft after explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton's famed ship, Endurance. The Fram2 crew consists of four members, with Wang inviting three Arctic specialists to join him: Jannicke Mikkelsen, Eric Philips, and Rabea Rogge.

Wang, aged 42 and originally from Tianjin, China, now resides in Malta, having recently acquired citizenship last year. His fascination with space began at a young age, and he sees this opportunity as a chance to design his own personal mission. Living in Svalbard, the far north Norwegian archipelago, Wang describes himself as a nomadic individual who has visited over 100 countries in recent years.

Despite the decreasing costs of human spaceflight, a multi-day mission remains accessible only to ultra-high-net-worth individuals. While SpaceX does not publicly disclose the price of its crewed missions, NASA has previously revealed that it pays approximately $55 million per seat to fly astronauts on Dragon, with a crewed mission estimated to cost over $200 million. Wang confirmed that he personally financed this mission but declined to specify the exact amount.

Wang's net worth appears to be primarily tied to his work in cryptocurrency mining. He claims to have mined 7,700 bitcoin over two years, which would currently be valued at approximately $450 million. Additionally, he co-founded F2Pool, a decentralized collective that contributes to cryptocurrency mining. F2Pool boasts mining over 1.3 million bitcoin over the past 11 years, which equates to over $76 billion at today's market value.

Jannicke Mikkelsen, Wang's neighbor in Longyearbyen, Svalbard, expressed her astonishment when she transitioned from friend to future astronaut. She admitted that she initially did not believe Wang when he casually mentioned the opportunity.

The Fram2 mission proposal came together following SpaceX's historic Inspiration4 private flight in 2021. Similar to Inspiration4, Fram2 will feature a "cupola" window and spend three to five days in orbit. The Fram2 crew plans to conduct various research projects during their journey, including studying the upper atmosphere and analyzing the effects of spaceflight on the human body.

The Fram2 crew has already commenced their training with SpaceX this week and previously underwent extreme environment training in Alaska. They aspire to make their mission not only about research but also about showcasing the increasing accessibility of space exploration. Mikkelsen expressed her desire to create an immersive production that allows people to experience the thrill of being inside the Dragon capsule.

Wang summarized their vision by stating, "We are trying to make the door wider and make people feel that everyone can have their own very personal space mission."