Justin Sun to Fly with Blue Origin After $28M Space Bid from 2021

Tron founder Justin Sun is finally heading to space, four years after placing a $28 million bid for a seat on Blue Origin’s New Shepard. The blockchain entrepreneur will join the crew of the NS-34 mission, announced Monday by Jeff Bezos’ aerospace company.

Blue Origin Confirms Sun’s Seat on New Shepard

Blue Origin revealed the six-member crew for the upcoming NS-34 mission, marking the 34th launch of the New Shepard rocket and its 14th human spaceflight. Since its inaugural flight in 2021—when Bezos himself crossed the Kármán line—Blue Origin has carried 70 people beyond Earth’s atmosphere.

Sun’s original bid in June 2021 won him the first seat aboard New Shepard. While he didn't fly immediately, his payment was directed to Blue Origin’s nonprofit arm, Club for the Future, which distributed $1 million grants to 19 space-related organizations.

In a post on X, Sun expressed excitement about finally joining the program: “Proud to join Blue Origin’s NS-34 mission and continue encouraging youth to pursue their dreams in science and space!” The official flight date has not yet been disclosed.

Blockchain Entrepreneur and High-Profile Investor

Sun is best known for founding Tron, a blockchain platform widely used for stablecoins and decentralized applications. Before launching Tron, he served as the chief representative for Ripple in the Greater China region. His activities have often combined high finance, crypto influence, and attention-grabbing public stunts.

Big Spending on Politics, Art, and Memecoins

Justin Sun continues to make headlines for his spending habits beyond blockchain. Earlier this month, he pledged to buy $100 million worth of the "Original Trump" memecoin, making him one of the top holders. He had previously funneled $75 million into World Liberty Financial, a firm tied to the Trump crypto brand, which used the funds to purchase large amounts of TRX, the native token of the Tron blockchain.

In another recent move, SRM Entertainment rebranded as Tron Inc. after staking 365 million TRX as part of its new crypto treasury strategy. The company also brought on Sun as an adviser, further expanding his influence in the digital asset sector.

His taste for the extravagant goes beyond crypto. Last November, Sun made headlines in the art world by purchasing Maurizio Cattelan’s infamous banana duct-taped to a wall—titled Comedian—for $6.24 million, cementing his status as one of crypto’s most visible and unconventional personalities.