If you want to float in zero gravity and stare upon our planet from space for long as you want, the Houston-based company has come up with the accurate creation. Orion Span, a startup company at Houston, Texas announced on April 5 that it would launch the world’s first “luxury space hotel” in 2021. The company further announced that it will begin taking reservations from 2022 with two crew members accompanying each excursion. Dubbed the ‘Aurora Station,’ the hotel was announced at the Space 2.0 Summit in San Jose, California.
The Orion Span founder and CEO Frank Bunger who unveiled the idea said during the summit, “We are launching the first-ever affordable luxury space hotel.” The company will accept $80,000 (approximately Rs. 52 lakh) per person deposits for a spot on its first wait list. The pricing for the stay at the Aurora Station Hotel starts at $9.5 million (around Rs. 61,68,82,500.00) for 12 days. Yes, the word ‘affordable’ could be quite a significant term here but Orion Span clarified that the amount is far less to what others have paid earlier to go to space.
Here is all you should know about the luxurious Aurora Station Hotel at Space:
1. Aurora Station will be about the size of a large private jet’s cabin. Frank Bunger informed that it is planned as a 35-by-14-foot module.
2. The station would accommodate as many as four guests who will be attended by two crew members.
3. The latter personnel will likely be former astronauts.
4. The deposit amount is refundable in case if you want to change your mind to get the hotel in orbit.
5. The platform will orbit 200 miles above Earth, 16 sunrises and sunsets as they race around the planet for 12 days.
6. Astronomy lovers who fly up will undergo a three month training program, the final stage of the certification will occur at the space hotel itself.
As per Space.com, Orion Span is not the only company who is striving for opening the space accessible to all. Several other companies such as Houston-based Axiom Space and American space technology startup, Bigelow Aerospace also aim to launch commercial space stations to Earth orbit in the next few years. Again other private companies including the Virgin Galactic, in California and Washington-based Blue Origin are again developing vehicles to take paying customer to and from suborbital space. So, skip you travel poster and start planning to visit a place which is literally out of the world!
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 06, 2018 11:25 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).