Photo by SpaceX on Unsplash
SpaceX Launches Private Mission With 4 Civilians On First-Ever Polar Orbit
- Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
- Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager
SpaceX launched its latest private mission, Fram2, this Monday aboard a Falcon 9 rocket to orbit Earth over the North and South poles for the first time.
In a rush? Here are the quick facts:
- SpaceX launched private mission Fram2 to orbit Earth over the North and South poles for the first time.
- The civilian crew is led by crypto millionaire Chun Wang along with his three guests, all traveling to space for the first time.
- The mission will take from 3 to 5 days, and the amateur astronauts will also conduct 22 scientific experiments.
According to CNN , the crew in the Dragon capsule is led by the crypto millionaire Chun Wang and his three guests, the robotics researcher Rabea Rogge, the Norwegian film director Jannicke Mikkelsen, and adventurer Eric Philips.
Liftoff of Fram2 and the @framonauts ! pic.twitter.com/XBL5juCnHQ — SpaceX (@SpaceX) April 1, 2025
The rocket was launched from SpaceX’s base at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, in the United States, on Monday at 9:46 p.m. The trip will take from 3 to 5 days through an unusual orbital path headed south.
After completing the mission and splashing down in the Pacific Ocean, the civilian crew will become the first humans to orbit Earth over both poles. None of the members have traveled to space before.
“We have an untraditional mission,” said Mikkelsen on Friday. “We’re not your typical NASA astronauts…We’ve gone from nothing to being certified astronauts to fly.”
The group started training last year, including “harsh environments” in Alaska, to prepare for the trip. Besides exploring Earth from the polar orbit, the crew will conduct 22 experiments for research, most of which are related to their health.
Dragon has separated from Falcon 9’s second stage pic.twitter.com/v6tv0PWZMa — SpaceX (@SpaceX) April 1, 2025
Mission Commander Wang founded the organization F2Pool, one of the largest cryptocurrency mining pools in the world. The entrepreneur’s net worth is expected to be billions of dollars. The amount of money he paid for this trip has not been disclosed.
SpaceX has been working on multiple missions recently, including its Starship rockets, which it plans to use for missions aimed at repopulating Mars . Although the company has achieved historic milestones—such as landing and catching the Super Heavy booster on the launch tower —it has also faced some setbacks. In January, one of the Starship rockets exploded and caught fire during ascent .
Photo by Traxer on Unsplash
Japan To Recognize Cryptocurrencies As Legal Financial Products
- Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
- Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager
The Japanese financial regulator is allegedly working on a plan to consider cryptocurrencies as financial products under law. The information has been shared by a local newspaper.
In a rush? Here are the quick facts:
- The Japanese Financial Services Agency is planning on changing cryptocurrencies’ status to financial products, as reported by Nikkei.
- A new bill is expected to be submitted by 2026.
- The new criteria could be similar to traditional financial products.
According to Reuters , this Sunday, the Japanese newspaper Nikkei—a respected publication in the financial industry—said that Japan’s Financial Services Agency (FSA) will revise the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act to change cryptocurrencies’ status to financial products.
The report shared by the Japanese paper explained that a new bill will be submitted to the parliament by 2026 to adjust the law with a new amendment for this. However, no specific sources were cited.
According to CoinDesk , the new criteria will consider similar regulations to conventional financial products, although no details were provided. At the moment, cryptocurrencies are considered “means of settlement” under the law and can be used as a payment tool, but the FSA has noticed gaps that are not being regulated and can encourage unregulated activities.
The new initiative comes after a rise in scams related to cryptocurrencies and recent private discussions among experts.
On March 6, the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) warned about the increasing scams related to digital currencies and the use of new AI-powered technologies.
“This year, the most critical threats include financial scams tied to digital assets and cryptocurrency, social media apps, and marketing tactics designed to play on emotions.”
A few days ago, a new crypto-scam affecting Reddit users was unveiled by cybersecurity experts, and Microsoft recently warned about the StilachiRAT malware targeting digital wallets .
These new regulations also come after other countries have made some changes in their cryptocurrency management. In January, the United States announced a plan to develop cryptocurrency regulations and, a few days ago, a cryptocurrency reserve including seized Bitcoin as well as other currencies.
