The founder of the blockchain platform TRON, Justin Sun, was one of the crew members of Blue Origin’s NS-34 mission, which successfully completed another launch as part of the New Shepard program. The flight lasted 10 minutes, and Sun’s participation cost $28 million.
This is reported by Finway
Details of the NS-34 Mission and Crew Composition
On the 34th launch of the New Shepard program and the 14th crewed flight of Blue Origin, there were six participants on board: Justin Sun, Alpha Funds founder JD Russell, entrepreneur Gokhan Erdem, real estate investor Arvi Bahal, meteorologist Deborah Martorell, and philanthropist Lionel Pitchford.
The mission launched in West Texas at 7:43 local time. Three minutes after launch, the main booster separated from the capsule, and the crew experienced weightlessness. At 7:53, Blue Origin announced the successful return of the capsule to Earth.
“I waited for this for four years, and it finally happened. I am grateful to Mr. Bezos [founder of Blue Origin] and his team. […] When I looked at Earth from space, it seemed so small and fragile, yet it is our home. We must do everything we can to protect it.”
Preparation for the Flight and Participant’s Impressions
Justin Sun applied to participate in the flight back in 2021 and won the auction with a bid of $28 million. Initially, the flight was scheduled for 2022, but due to delays, the mission took place only now.
After returning to Earth, Sun shared his emotions, noting that observing our planet from space changed his worldview. This phenomenon is known as the “overview effect” — changes in a person’s consciousness regarding the fragility and value of the planet after viewing it from orbit.
The TRON founder emphasized that this was his first but not his last trip to space. In addition to his activities in the cryptocurrency sphere, Sun is known for his high-profile actions. In particular, he previously purchased an art piece in the form of a banana taped to the wall for $6.2 million and ate it.