Space Hotel Will Cost $5 Million For A Three And Half Day Trip

The very first space hotel is set to begin construction by 2026, but might set you back a few bob.

This year, space construction company Orbital Assembly announced via a virtual event on its YouTube channel that plans were on track to build the world’s very first space hotel by 2026.

Although it’s thought the ongoing coronavirus pandemic could delay the construction start date from the original 2025 projection, it’s believed it will only take a year or two to assemble Voyager Station, the commercial space station where the hotel will be houses.

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Speaking with The Washington Post, John Blincow, chief executive of Orbital Assembly, said:

It’s going to happen fast when it starts. And we believe it’s going to happen a lot, too, even before we finish the first one. We have buyers for other stations because they’re very, very lucrative.

Before boarding a SpaceX Starship shuttle to Voyager Station, those travelling to the hotel will be required to undergo some safety and physical training.

Shuttles will reportedly transport a mix of space tourists, scientists carrying out low-gravity research and service industry professionals who will deliver high quality service at the hotel.

These professionals will reportedly include top chefs who will have the opportunity to create kitchens for the space station. This sort of service is reflected in the price tag, with tourists set to pay $5 million for an approximate 3½ days orbiting planet Earth.

Blincow said:

It’s a historic moment. You’re going to have the top chefs making really, really good food. And when you pay $5 million to go someplace, it’s not going to be burgers and fries.

Entertainment onboard will reflect, the high-flying status of the orbital hotel, with Blincow explaining: ‘We want to have Sting come up and play, and Beyoncé.’ He added: ‘There’ll be two shows every night. … That’s part of the entertainment package.’

And if that’s not enough star power for the price of a ticket, there will even be the opportunity for guests to go on their own spacewalks.

Inspired by astronauts who have told him of their own experiences, Blincow said: ‘There’s nothing between you and the universe but the face plate.’

‘Going out there and looking at the whole solar system and the Earth from the outside, it’s going to be an extraordinary moment.’

Although this is certainly a hefty sum to pay, as noted by The Washington Post, this is still much cheaper than other up-and-coming stays for private citizens.

To give one example, the first would-be spaceflight crew comprised of private citizens, each paying $55 million per ticket for Axiom Space’s trip up to the International Space Station for an eight day stay.

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