The Voyager Station, which would accommodate 280 guests, aims to be the first commercial space hotel upon completion

Those of us making grand postpandemic travel plans might want to consider the final frontier as a destination. That’s because Orbital Assembly Corporation, a new construction company run by former pilot John Blincow, is planning to open a luxury space hotel by 2027. Voyager Station, as it’s being called, would accommodate 280 guests and 112 crew members while aiming to be the first commercial space hotel, upon completion.

“We’re trying to make the public realize that this golden age of space travel is just around the corner. It’s coming. It’s coming fast,” Blincow told CNN in an interview. Golden age indeed, as space tourism has piqued the interest of such visionaries as Richard Branson and Elon Musk. And it’s the latter Blincow and his team hope to partner with in the near future. “We cannot call [Musk’s] SpaceX our partner, but in the future we look forward to working with them,” Blincow said at a recent live, asking the viewers to “hang tight.”

The physics involved in sleeping within a space hotel is similar to spinning water in a bucket. Much in the same way one can spin a bucket in a circle, keeping the water inside of it, the space hotel would simulate gravity in a similar manner. This makes comfortable rooms and stylish bar experiences possible.

But, for many visitors who venture so far, feeling the weightlessness of space is a big part of the appeal. As such, the team plans to plate traditional ‘space food’ such as freeze dried ice cream in the hotel’s restaurant. There are plans for recreational activities such as basketball games where participants can soar higher due to the weightlessness of the environment. Perhaps only in outer space will LeBron James have competition. 

For now, the space hotel isn’t commenting on its room rate, but comparing it to other proposed public space missions, it will like come at a steep cost. For example, Virgin Galactic plans to launch ordinary passengers into space at $250,000 per person, per trip. The team at Voyager Station, however, has already assured the public that they plan to eventually make a stay at the hotel something similar to buying a cruise ticket.

Credit:

Architectural Digest