14 DAY TRIAL // In spite of being scheduled to open around 2012, the first space hotel already allows people to book stays in the Earth's orbit. The planned structure is on track to its scheduled opening date, although actual work on it may be delayed by external factors. Some space pioneers have already went through the necessary process of reserving their seats, and look forward to spending a few days in microgravity. The standard stay, the owners of the future hotel say, will be around three Earth nights, as the Sun rises many more times in orbit, Space reports.
The Galactic Suite Space Resort, as the new facility will be named, will charge about $4.4 million for a stay, which is considerably less than the fabulous sums of money current space tourists pay for a seat on the Soyuz space capsules and a week aboard the International Space Station (ISS). For example, the last such visitor paid in excess of $35 million for his journey, which is several times the new proposed price. The company that is looking to build the resort is located in Barcelona, Spain.
In an interview with Reuters, Xavier Claramunt, the CEO of Galactic Suite Ltd., said that more than 43 people had already paid good money for a spot on the future spacecraft, and that more than 200 others had already expressed their interest in going to orbit. At this rate, analysts say, the new orbital structure is bound to be a success, though only an economical one. There will be little to no science on the new outpost, save for the knowledge that goes into actually building it.
Critics to the project are themselves convinced that such structures will adorn the skies in the future, but wonder if the Galactic Space Suite Resort can be ready so soon. They highlight the fact that it took 16 countries some ten years and $100 billion to construct the ISS, on which work still continues to this day. Building a similar structure within only two years, and commissioning it shortly afterwards seems unfeasible, they add. Claramunt replies by saying that an anonymous donor has already provided the enterprise with about $3 billion for completing the space resort.
“It's very normal to think that your children, possibly within 15 years, could spend a weekend in space,” the CEO said in his interview. Tourists on the space hotel will get a chance to circle the Earth once every 90 minutes, and will see about 15 sunrises per day, according to the official. The hotel will employ a modular design, which will rely on connecting many pods to a central hub. Each pod will be able to support four passengers and two astronaut pilots.