When it comes to vacations, you normally want to shoot for the stars. But with this new hotel proposal, you could actually stay amongst the stars…
Above Space Development Corporation (previously known as Orbital Assembly), a company in competition to commercialize space business, has proposed two space hotels that could be operational within the next two years: Voyager Station & Pioneer Station.
The company is working to develop gravity-capable space stations on-orbit, in cislunar space, which would make business for humans available in the space ecosystem. Above Space Development recently signed an Umbrella Space Act Agreement (SAA) with NASA to “enable Above to test and validate its software, technology and components that could be used in future cislunar space stations and near-term launch projects,” says Rhonda Stevenson, Chief Executive Officer and President of Above.
Both hotels would operate using artificial gravity. “Artificial gravity functionality informs the overall layout of the station and the engineering of the structural members,” Tim Alatorre, Orbital Assembly’s COO and architect, told Architectural Digest. “As we are generating artificial gravity through rotation, this introduces new structural scenarios that are unique to the space environment.”
However, since antigravity is appealing to many interested in space travel, Above Space Development explains their orbital lab can simulate Lunar or Martian environments with partial gravity, or Zero-G for a weightless environment.
Previously released renderings show the hotels best described by AD as “giant floating wheels.” Above Space Development promises astonishing views of space from the hotel rooms. The Voyager Station would house 44 Emergency Return Vehicles or life boats on the structure.
The Voyager Station is proposed to accommodate 440 guests, whereas their second proposal, Pioneer Station, would house only 28 guests at once.
“We expect the duration to be as little as four days or as long as two weeks,” Rhonda Stevenson, Orbital Assembly CEO, told AD about potential stays at the hotel. “It depends on cost and also the ability to acclimate to a space environment.”
For now, there is no set price for what room accommodations can expect to go for. Stay tuned on any updates via Above Space Development’s website.