Justin Sun becomes youngest Chinese commercial astronaut with Blue Origin's NS-34 spaceflight.

Justin Sun becomes youngest Chinese commercial astronaut with Blue Origin's NS-34 spaceflight.

Justin Sun, the founder of the blockchain platform Tron, has become the youngest Chinese commercial astronaut after completing a brief space trip with Blue Origin's NS-34 mission on August 3, 2025. The suborbital flight, which took off from West Texas, marked Sun's first journey to space.

The NS-34 mission carried six people, including Sun, to the edge of space. The trip, which lasted approximately 10 to 12 minutes from liftoff to capsule touchdown, allowed the passengers to experience weightlessness and a clear view of Earth from space. Sun secured his seat in 2021 by placing a $28 million bid during a Blue Origin auction [1].

Sun's fellow passengers included venture capital investor J.D. Russell, Turkish businessman Gökhan Erdem, real estate investor Arvi Bahal, meteorologist Deborah Martorell, and teacher Lionel Pitchford. The flight was the 14th human spaceflight for Blue Origin's New Shepard vehicle, which consists of a reusable rocket topped by a crew capsule [2].

After returning from the spaceflight, Sun shared his thoughts on the experience. "Earth is so small, and it's our home. We definitely need to do whatever we can to protect it," he stated in a post on X. The mission's name, NS-34, felt especially fitting to Sun as he witnessed the planet from space. The proceeds from Sun's $28 million bid benefited 19 space-focused charities to inspire future generations to pursue careers in STEAM and help shape the future of life in space [1].

This spaceflight marks a significant milestone for Sun, who is now the youngest Chinese commercial astronaut. The event also highlights the growing trend of space tourism, with more individuals and companies investing in suborbital space flights.

References:
[1] https://www.bitdegree.org/crypto/news/justin-sun-sees-earth-from-space-on-blue-origins-ns-34
[2] https://www.space.com/space-exploration/private-spaceflight/blue-origin-launch-crypto-billionaire-justin-sun-launch-suborbital-space-ns-34