Cryptocurrency tycoon Justin Sun made headlines on Sunday by venturing to the edge of space aboard a Blue Origin rocket, nearly three years after placing an astonishing $28 million bid for his seat.
The TRON founder and associate of the Trump family originally secured a spot on Blue Origin’s maiden crewed flight with Jeff Bezos in 2021 but opted to delay his journey.
On Sunday morning, Sun launched with five others—including a teacher, a venture capitalist, and a meteorologist—for a short suborbital adventure aboard the New Shepard rocket, departing from West Texas, as reported by Bloomberg News. This mission marked Blue Origin’s 14th human launch and highlighted the company’s ongoing push to make space tourism accessible.
Funds from Sun’s winning bid were directed to Blue Origin’s Club for the Future, a foundation dedicated to supporting charities focused on space initiatives.
Blue Origin
The crew ascended at 7:42 a.m. local time, experiencing a few moments of weightlessness at the edge of space before a safe landing back on Earth. Alongside Sun were real estate investor Arvi Bahal; Turkish entrepreneur Gökhan Erdem; meteorologist and journalist Deborah Martorell; teacher Lionel Pitchford; and J.D. Russell, founder of Alpha Funds.
Sun’s involvement was revealed just weeks prior to the flight when Blue Origin shared the passenger roster for its New Shepard NS-34 mission. His bid attracted considerable media attention in 2021, although his identity as the winner remained under wraps initially.
Other notable past passengers on the New Shepard include pop star Katy Perry and Lauren Sánchez, who is now married to Bezos.
Although the experience was brief, it represented a significant personal milestone for Sun and emphasized Blue Origin’s dedication to ushering wealthy adventurers and celebrities into a new era of space exploration.
