Private astronauts return from pole-to-pole orbit

Four private astronauts have completed a groundbreaking SpaceX mission, returning to Earth after orbiting from pole to pole and conducting experiments on human health in space.

Four private astronauts have returned to Earth in a SpaceX capsule after spending about four days orbiting the planet.

Since launching on Monday, the four-person crew — led and funded by Maltese investor Chun Wang — traveled in a circular orbit from pole to pole, a path no humans had flown before.

During the mission, they conducted 22 research experiments, mainly focused on how the human body changes in microgravity, and performed the first medical X-rays in space as part of a test.

All four experienced space motion sickness after reaching orbit, according to Wang. However, by the second day, they felt fine and opened the window cover while passing over the South Pole.

Their capsule tightened its orbit on Friday morning and splashed down hours later off the coast of California around noon.

SpaceX and its Dragon craft have come to dominate the growing market for private orbital spaceflight, an area once driven largely by wealthy tourists. Dragon remains the world’s only privately built capsule routinely flying missions in orbit.

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