The Private Starship Mission That Could Send Chun Wang Around Mars

That experience makes Wang one of a small number of wealthy private individuals who have already flown in orbit and then returned to plan even more ambitious missions.

Net worth estimates

Public estimates of Wang’s wealth vary widely. Some reporting describes him simply as a wealthy crypto investor with hundreds of millions of dollars, while other coverage describes him as a crypto billionaire whose fortune comes from early Bitcoin mining and blockchain infrastructure ventures.

Because much of his wealth is tied to cryptocurrency holdings and private investments, a precise figure is difficult to verify from public data.

The Proposed Starship Mars Flyby

The centerpiece of Wang’s long‑term plan is a crewed Mars flyby mission aboard SpaceX’s Starship spacecraft. Unlike most Mars mission concepts, the goal is not to land.

Instead, the spacecraft would:

• Depart from the Earth–Moon region
• Travel into deep space on a Mars‑transfer trajectory
• Fly past Mars without entering orbit
• Return to Earth after roughly two years in space

Such a mission would test long‑duration life‑support systems, radiation protection, and deep‑space navigation before any human landing attempts on the planet.

If it happens, it could become the first privately funded human interplanetary expedition, although details such as the full crew and financing structure have not yet been publicly confirmed.

The Lunar “Warm‑Up” Mission With Dennis and Akiko Tito

Before attempting the Mars flyby, Wang intends to participate in a circumlunar Starship mission that would act as a rehearsal for deep‑space operations.

This planned flight involves Dennis Tito and Akiko Tito, who purchased seats on one of SpaceX’s private Starship lunar missions.

Key details of the proposed lunar trip:

• A week‑long journey around the Moon
• Passing within roughly 200 kilometers of the lunar surface before returning to Earth
• Potentially carrying up to a dozen passengers in total

Dennis Tito is historically significant in private spaceflight. In 2001 he became the first self‑funded space tourist, paying Russia for a trip to the International Space Station.

If the Starship lunar mission flies successfully, it would demonstrate the spacecraft’s ability to support human crews beyond low Earth orbit—an essential step before attempting something as long and risky as a Mars flyby.

Why the Timeline Is So Uncertain

Despite the excitement around the idea, no launch date exists for Wang’s Mars flyby. The reason is simple: Starship itself is still under development.

The giant reusable rocket—intended to carry crews to the Moon and Mars—has experienced multiple technical setbacks during testing. Explosions during test flights and ground tests have forced investigations and regulatory reviews, slowing the program’s progress.

SpaceX still needs to demonstrate several critical capabilities before any human deep‑space missions are realistic:

• Reliable orbital launches and reentry
• In‑orbit refueling between Starship vehicles
• Long‑duration life‑support systems
• Repeated safe flights with crew

Even nearer‑term Mars goals remain uncertain. Elon Musk has suggested uncrewed Starship missions might target a 2026 Mars launch window, but he has acknowledged only about a 50‑50 chance of meeting that timeline, with the next opportunity occurring two years later if delays continue.

Until Starship proves those capabilities, ambitious private missions—such as the Tito lunar flyby and Wang’s Mars expedition—are likely to remain conceptual plans rather than scheduled flights.

A New Era of Private Deep‑Space Exploration

Regardless of the exact timeline, the proposal highlights how quickly private spaceflight ambitions are expanding.

Within just a few years, wealthy private astronauts have progressed from short orbital trips to planning lunar flybys and even interplanetary missions. If Starship eventually becomes operational, projects like Chun Wang’s Mars flyby could mark the beginning of privately organized human journeys far beyond Earth orbit.

For now, though, the mission remains a vision waiting on the rocket that could make it possible.