Space Hotel to Open in 2012

Maikeru · Aug 12, 2007

MADRID, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- "Galactic Suite," the first hotel in space, will open for business in 2012, its Barcelona-based architects said Friday.

Reservations for Galactic Suite will begin in 2008, company director Xavier Claramunt told journalists.

"Galactic suite will allow clients to travel around the World in 80 minutes," Claramunt said.

It will be made of aluminum and have five modules, he said.

The three boutique rooms will be decorated with mini components because of a lack of room and due to the fact that objects float in space because of the absence of gravity, Claramunt said.

"The greatest challenge will be the bathrooms with zero gravity. Accommodating the clients' intimate activities is not easy. To take a shower in zero gravity, the guests will enter the spa in which water bubbles will float," he added.

Guests will also be able to participate in scientific experiments during their stay in Galactic Suite hotel, 450 kms from Earth.

The space hotel will be the most expensive in the galaxy, costing three million euros (3.99 million U.S. dollars) for a three-day stay, during which guests would see the sun rise 15 times a day, its architects said.

It is estimated that some 40,000 people worldwide will be able to buy a Galactic-Suite ticket which is not as expensive as the 20-million-dollar ticket paid by the first space tourist Dennis Tito, who traveled to space in Soyuz TM-32 on April 28, 2001.

For the moment Galactic Suite has private investors from United Arab Emirates and Japan, local press reported.

Believe it or not, space tourism is actually a rapidly expanding business right now.

With so many private companies wanting to offer the rich and famous a shot to go somewhere very few others have been, the prices are extremely high, but the adrenaline rush must be worth it. As a big fan of space, I would do it in a heartbeat - assuming my checkbook would be able to afford it.

The space tourism Wikipedia page probably offers most of the details you would want and need to know.

Cheers!

Maikeru Hatamoto

TechSpot

Space Hotel to Open in 2012

Maikeru Newcomer, in training