The opening of the space hotel on the Voyager station is announced by 2030. What a tourist stopover in space looks like and what it will be filled with
The fantasy that is becoming more and more real every day has already acquired the terms of its realization. Orbital Assembly has already announced the construction of the first space hotel on the Voyager station, which will begin in 2026 and will be completed by 2030. An additional project will be Pioneer Station – a space business park, the opening of which is announced for 2025. Thus, the company is taking real steps to promote and develop space tourism. And we will be witnesses of this important event, opening space to ordinary travelers (not quite ordinary at first, of course).
What has already been implemented
As a reminder, several important steps have already been taken. Or almost done. For example, in 2021, the Inspiration4 private mission was realized. The mission included a crew of four trained civilians who left Earth and crossed low-Earth orbit. And a DearMoon mission was planned for 2023. A flight around the moon was announced in the program. To date, the mission has been postponed and research is being done to increase success.
What will be the first space hotel on the Voyager station
The first thing the company thought about was the creation of gravity. During development, it was decided that the stations would take the shape of a Ferris wheel and consist of fractional capsules. Thus, when the wheel rotates, artificial gravity will be created. The company does not hide that the basis was taken from such sci-fi movies as: "Interstellar", "Space Odyssey", "Pioneer" and the station "Voyager".
The unusual appearance of the hotel is due to the conditions of being in space, but the interior of the rooms will be quite familiar to the average person. The space hotel will accommodate 400 tourists with different levels of comfort. Even separate villas will be available for those who wish to be secluded in their space journey on the Voyager station.
The space hotel will have bars, restaurants, and entertainment in the form of spas, gyms, and everything we are so used to at luxury resorts.
Who will be able to get into the Pioneer Station Business Park
The company revealed in its press release that the business park will only accommodate up to 28 people. The platform will focus on research activities with a dose of tourism. Therefore, the conditions of stay on it will be much more modest than on the main space resort Voyager.
The near future and how to already book your place in space
Orbital Assembly recalled that the Voyager project started with the Von Braun Rotating Space Station and was announced back in 2019. However, during some undisclosed events and the onslaught of the Covid-19 pandemic, work on finalizing the project was postponed. And, even, today's announcement may cause some skepticism, but the fact that space hotels are a thing of this century and most likely the first half of it is already more than a statement.
Proof in the company's determination was the opportunity to book seats for a flight in the Pioneer Business Park, which, let us remind you, is planning its opening in 2025. Interested parties can apply through a special online form, where they can familiarize themselves with all the details, from prices to the duration of the flight. What amount of money will be paid to 28 lucky people who will open mass space tourism is still a mystery, but it is still a year or a couple of years away.
Orbital Assembly itself explains its ambitions this way:
"Once people get into space, their view of Earth will change. Space travel is still in its infancy, and we're excited to do our part to advance it and improve life on Earth. Our vision is to make space a destination that people will crave to visit, with the familiar elements provided by the presence of gravity."
