As Tron founder Justin Sun prepares to cross the Kármán line, he joins a diverse team of adventurers, philanthropists, and innovators, each with a story as compelling as his $28 million charity bid that first secured his seat.
On July 21, Blue Origin announced the crew for its upcoming New Shepard NS-34 mission, naming Tron founder Justin Sun among the six individuals set to cross the boundary of space.
The passenger list, ranging from a meteorologist to a venture capitalist, includes J.D. Russell, Arvi Bahal, Gökhan Erdem, Deborah Martorell and Lionel Pitchford.
Sun secured his seat back in 2021 with a $28 million bid. At the time, his identity remained undisclosed; now, nearly three years later, the blockchain entrepreneur is preparing to suit up for a flight that has evolved into a public milestone.
The mission, Blue Origin’s 14th human spaceflight and 34th overall, is scheduled for launch in the coming weeks, with a livestream to broadcast liftoff and a brief suborbital journey.
When Blue Origin’s NS-34 launches, Sun — an influential crypto mogul with close ties to the Trump administration — will be buckled in alongside scientists, philanthropists and adventurers, each with their own remarkable backstory.
The company’s official announcement tellingly referred to him as “H.E. Justin Sun,” nodding to his diplomatic credentials as much as his tech background. Blue Origin noted that Sun’s $28 million auction win sent 19 space education programs into orbit, from scholarships for future astronauts to fellowships for women in aerospace.
In his own words after the crew announcement, Sun kept the focus squarely on that bigger picture. There was no chest-thumping about joining the spacefaring elite:
