Vacationing in space could become a reality in 2027 with a hotel that could exist above the Earth’s atmosphere.
The futuristic hotel concept named Voyager Station will consist of 24 modules that would connect through elevator shafts to orbit the earth, reports CNN.
The Gateway Foundation first revealed the plan to build a hotel in space in 2019. At the time it was named the Von Braun Station.
Now, the Orbital Assembly Corporation headed by John Blincow, who is also one of the heads at the Gateway foundation, is working on the blueprint to build the futuristic structure.
While talking to CNN, Blincow said some plans were postponed due to the pandemic, however the hotel’s construction work is set to begin in 2026, and could be a reality in space by 2027.
"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," he added.
A hotel out of this world
Renderings of the hotel indicate that the layout is planned to be similar to a luxury hotel on Earth, with extraordinary views being the highlight.
Earlier, Tim Alatorre, senior design architect at the Orbital Assembly Corporation, said the design of the hotel was a response to the Stanley Kubrick movie “2001: A Space Odyssey,” which he said helped to establish the aesthetic they should avoid.
"I think the goal of Stanley Kubrick was to highlight the divide between technology and humanity and so, purposefully, he made the stations and the ships very sterile and clean and alien,” he added.
Alatorre and his team aim to bring familiarity to the hotel, with sophisticated bars, restaurants, and warm suites.
However, the team isn’t ignoring the novelty of being in space altogether. The hotel plans to include “space food,” such as freeze dried ice cream, in their restaurants.
There will also be activities that would remind people of what they can not do on Earth, according to Alatorre.
"Because of the weightlessness and the reduced gravity, you'll be able to jump higher, be able to lift things, be able to run in ways that you can't on Earth,” he added.
How will it work?
Alatorre explains that the rotating wheel made out of elevator shafts will create artificial gravity.
"The station rotates, pushing the contents of the station out to the perimeter of the station, much in the way that you can spin a bucket of water -- the water pushes out into the bucket and stays in place," he said.
He explained that there is no stimulated gravity in the centre of the station, but as you travel outside, the gravity increases.
The original name for the hotel reflected a concept inspired by designs from Wernher von Braun, dating back to 60 years ago. Braun was an engineer who instigated rocket technology, making moves in Germany and then the US.
However, naming the hotel after Braun was quite controversial, as while he was a resident of Germany, von Braun was a part of the Nazi rocket development program.
This was partly why the name has been changed, Blincow told CNN.
"The station is not really about him. It's based on his design, and we like his contributions towards science and space," Blincow said.
"But you know, Voyager Station is so much more than that. It is the stuff in the future. And we want a name that doesn't have those attachments to it,” he added.
Space tourism is becoming increasingly popular, with companies such as Virgin Galactic to Elon Musk’s SpaceX trying to make it happen.
SpaceX could potentially assist the Voyager Station hotel.
"We cannot call SpaceX our partner, but in the future we look forward to working with them," Blincow said, addressing an event by the Orbital Assembly.
How much will it cost?
Room rates and functional details have not been disclosed as of yet, however a large price tag is definitely expected.
For example, Virgin Galactic charges $250,000 per person, per trip to launch customers into space.
However, the Voyager Station team adds that they would like a guest at the hotel to feel like they are on "a trip on a cruise or a trip to Disneyland.”
The Voyager Station is only one of many ambitions the company has for the future.
The team hopes to construct research stations, and aims to promote space tourism and business opportunities.
"We're designing the tools and machines right now that can build these structures very quickly," Blincow added.
