Tourism has become a source of income capable of generating expectations in all sectors, including aerospace, where the world’s first space hotel is about to land.
One year has passed since the most international pandemic gestated on Mother Earth, since we have data, of course. However, this has not impeded the t of humanity in general terms, quite the contrary, it has only modified certain patterns of behavior and perception of reality. Time will tell if these guidelines will lead to a better future.
And to speak of the future is to speak of space, or Space, with a capital letter. A place outside our «safe» earth’s surface that only a privileged few will leave, but that, sooner rather than later, will be a new place of leisure and work. To make this a reality, they work at the Gateway Foundation, which has already announced its intention to open the first space hotel in 2027. Are we in?
The Voyager Station space hotel
The Hotel will be called Voyager Station and will be built by the company Orbital Assembly Corporation, this being the first large-scale space construction company in the world, according to what they announce on their website. Many people in the World will see their dreams within reach, although, yes, they must have sufficient financial solvency to pay for the journey, which will not be cheap.
The good news is that it will not be a small space hotel, but a fairly large hotel, with 11,600 square meters of surface area, which will fit up to 440 people. There it is. It is already known that the greater the number of participants, the lower the amount to be paid. The promoters hope that the construction of the ship will begin in 2026, for a year later, to be able to open its doors as the first space hotel in the world or, rather, of the human species.
A resting place in the middle of space
The building will be in the shape of a rotating ring, which will provide a gravity six times less than that of Mother Earth. It is a design by the architect Tim Alatorre, who visualized it in 2019. Alatorre revealed that year that his main objective was to allow everyone access to the space, turning it into a place of rest and entertainment. He has over 20 years of experience behind him in habitat design, graphics, web design, programming, and engineering and is currently CEO of Domum Design.
Constructively, the structure of the hotel will allow the coupling of the passenger ships in its center, some hundred meters away from this point, and connected by metallic spokes. There will be 24 modules, which will include hotel rooms inside, which will fit between 360 and 440 people, restaurants, bars, gyms, crew accommodation, cinemas and scientific research modules, so necessary to continue developing technology.
A spatial and sustainable hotel
According to the company, the elevation orbit will be 97 degrees and approximately 500 kilometers, which will reduce thermal stress and obtain constant solar power generation, reducing the risk of space debris. The modules have dimensions of 12 meters in diameter and 20 meters in length, generating a total of 500 square meters of surface area inside, distributed over three floors.
Now, if you are used to seeing science fiction movies in which the rooms of the ships are like the cabins of the crew of the submarines, or white as milk, you can rest assured: nothing further. The company has promised that the stay will be the closest thing to being in a luxury hotel, with large interior spaces, natural colors and materials.
Luxury rooms and villas
As in any great project, the Gateway company has done its homework and knows how to attract clients who, possibly, bear the weight of the investment. For them they offer «luxury villas» of about 126 square meters, and can be rented for weeks, months or indefinitely. The deluxe rooms will have an area of 62 square meters.
Otherwise, most hotel rooms will be suites of 30 square meters, equipped for two people and with a bathroom. In one of the modules there will be a bar with three levels, with a water source that will defy the laws of terrestrial physics, although we should not be scared by gravity either, it exists, it will exist, to avoid having to wear a protective suit all the time.
Restaurants, concerts, sports without gravity
Another module will have exclusive equipment to practice gymnastics, strengthen and tone our bodies and minds, with seven meter high decks and, of course, games in which low gravity is decisively involved. The same cabin, as proposed by the architect, will be transformed into a concert hall, so we will be able to see the earthly stars of music. Can you imagine Malú, Alejandro Sanz, Bustamante or Isabel Pantoja herself singing in orbit?
It is not the first time that an extraterrestrial hotel proposal has passed through our magazine. It is known that several public and private companies are fighting to conquer this business, but the Orbital Assembly startup seems to be convinced of achieving it in 2027. They have even said that the original idea was to open in 2025, but the project had to be delayed.
A spatial accommodation for 100 people that will be a reality in 2027
His idea is that there are 100 space tourists. This movement could provide them with sufficient funds to continue in orbit, although they also hope that companies, governments or public administrations will rent independent modules from them. Voyager Station will be based on already created technology, which is used in the International Space Station, so play it safe.
There are a few years left to find out if they fulfill what was promised and we will see their opening, although one thing is certain, sooner or later, be it this company or another, space tourism will be a reality.