Crypto entrepreneur funds polar orbit mission with SpaceX

Elon Musk’s SpaceX launched its first manned polar orbit mission on April 1, 2025, with funding from Chun Wang, a crypto investor and founder of the Bitcoin (CRYPTO:BTC) mining pool F2Pool.

Named "Fram2," the mission honors a historic Norwegian Arctic exploration ship.

The crew consists of Wang, German polar scientist Rabea Rogge, Norwegian cinematographer Jannicke Mikkelsen, and Australian Arctic adventurer Eric Philips.

They departed from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 1:46 am UTC for a journey that will last between three to five days, traveling over the North and South poles.

While Wang has not disclosed the mission’s cost, it represents a substantial private investment in space exploration.

The team will conduct 22 experiments during the flight, including the first X-ray imaging in space and studies on mushroom cultivation.

These experiments are designed to advance understanding of human health and the effects of extended space travel.

SpaceX’s Dragon capsule reached the South Pole within 30 minutes of launch, orbiting about 265 miles above Earth.

The spacecraft is expected to complete a full orbit every 90 minutes before splashing down off the California coast at the end of the mission.

Wang, born in China and now a Maltese citizen, founded F2Pool in 2013, one of China’s first Bitcoin mining pools.

It currently ranks as the fourth-largest mining pool globally, holding nearly 10% of the market share.

Wang also founded Stakefish in 2018, an Ethereum (CRYPTO:ETH) staking pool provider that ranks eighth globally with over 2,000 validators.

SpaceX emphasised the scientific importance of the mission.

"The experiments conducted during Fram2 will provide valuable insights into long-duration spaceflight," the company stated.

SpaceX continues to push the boundaries of reusable spacecraft technology.