Blue Origin Takes Crypto Tycoon Justin Sun and Five Others on a Daring Suborbital Space Adventure!

On August 3, 2025, Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket launched into space, carrying a group of six passengers, including Justin Sun, a well-known cryptocurrency billionaire. This mission, named NS-34, marked the 34th flight of New Shepard and took off from Blue Origin’s private spaceport in West Texas at 8:43 a.m. EDT.

Justin Sun, who founded the blockchain platform Tron, initially won an auction for a seat on New Shepard’s first crewed flight back in June 2021 for a staggering $28 million. However, he missed that flight due to scheduling conflicts, which occurred on the 52nd anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. Instead, the first flight featured Jeff Bezos, his brother Mark, and a few others.

This time, Sun did not travel alone. The crew also included Arvinder Bahal, a real estate investor; Gökhan Erdem, a Turkish photographer; Deborah Martorell, a Puerto Rican journalist; Lionel Pitchford, a longtime orphanage operator in Nepal; and James Russell, an entrepreneur and previous New Shepard flyer. With the exception of Russell, all crew members were making their first journey into space.

The NS-34 mission is part of a series of flights designed to make space travel accessible. Blue Origin has successfully completed 14 human spaceflights using reusable technology that allows the rocket and crew capsule to return to Earth safely after each journey. Each flight lasts about 10 to 12 minutes, allowing passengers to cross the Kármán line and experience weightlessness.

Interestingly, the missions’ ticket prices remain undisclosed, but they’re likely much lower than Sun’s historic bid. Blue Origin states his contribution supported 19 charities aimed at inspiring future generations in STEAM fields (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics).

The rapid growth of commercial space travel is evident. A report by the Space Data Association shows a 50% increase in private aerospace companies in the past year, highlighting a growing trend in space tourism. This growing competition is expected to lower costs and increase accessibility for more people interested in exploring space.

Overall, the NS-34 mission symbolizes a new era in space exploration, blending technology, philanthropy, and human experience in a way that could inspire many to follow in these passengers’ footsteps.

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