Four space tourists returned to Earth on Friday, splashing down in the Pacific after a privately funded polar tour. The group, chartered by Bitcoin investor Chun Wang, orbited the north and south poles before landing off the Southern California coast. This was the first human spaceflight to circle the globe above the poles and the first Pacific splashdown for 50 years.
The crew, which included Wang, Norwegian filmmaker Jannicke Mikkelsen, German robotics researcher Rabea Rogge, and Australian polar guide Eric Philips, experienced space motion sickness but quickly recovered. During their journey, they took medical X-rays in space, conducted science experiments, and captured stunning footage of the poles.
The SpaceX flight was a historic milestone, marking the first time the company has used Pacific splashdown sites. This change was made for safety reasons, ensuring that any surviving pieces of the trunk fall into the ocean.
Wang’s crew named their trip “Fram2,” after the Norwegian sailing ship that carried explorers to the poles over a century ago. The group also brought along a piece of the original ship’s wooden deck on their journey.
Source: https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/space-tourists-return-earth-after-private-flight-poles-120492652