The First Hotel in Space: A Dream Come True 2025

Space tourism has been a hot topic in recent years, with several companies offering suborbital flights or orbital stays for adventurous travelers. However, none of these experiences can compare to the ultimate space destination: the first hotel in space, Voyager Station.

Voyager Station is the brainchild of John Blincow, a former pilot and entrepreneur who has been fascinated by space since he was a child. Blincow founded the Gateway Foundation in 2012, a non-profit organization dedicated to building and operating the first spaceport in low Earth orbit. The Gateway Foundation's vision is to create a hub for commercial, scientific, and cultural activities in space, as well as a gateway to the Moon and beyond.

In 2018, Blincow teamed up with Tim Alatorre, a senior design architect and space enthusiast, to form Orbital Assembly Corporation (OAC), a company that specializes in large-scale space construction. OAC's mission is to develop and operate gravity-capable space stations on-orbit, in cislunar space, and throughout the solar system. OAC's flagship project is Voyager Station, a rotating ring-shaped structure that will provide artificial gravity and comfortable living conditions for up to 440 guests and 112 crew members.

Voyager Station's design is inspired by the concepts of Wernher von Braun, a pioneer of rocket technology and space exploration. The station will have a diameter of 200 meters and a circumference of 630 meters. It will rotate at a speed of one revolution per minute, creating a centrifugal force equivalent to one-sixth of Earth's gravity. This will allow guests to enjoy activities such as walking, running, jumping, or playing sports without the negative effects of microgravity on their health and well-being.

The station will consist of two concentric rings connected by spokes. The inner ring will house the docking hub, where spacecrafts can attach and detach from the station. The outer ring will contain 24 habitation modules, each with a different function and theme. Some of the modules will be used for hotel accommodation, offering luxury villas, individual bedrooms, or shared bunk beds. Other modules will host restaurants, bars, gyms, spas, cinemas, concert halls, observatories, or educational facilities. The station will also have windows and skylights that will provide stunning views of the Earth and the stars.

The construction of Voyager Station will begin in 2026, using OAC's proprietary technology and tools. One of these tools is the DSTAR (Demonstration Structural Truss Assembly Robot), an automated truss building machine that can assemble large structures in orbit. Another tool is the PSTAR (Pod Structural Truss Assembly Robot), a smaller version of the DSTAR that can transport and install habitation modules on the truss. OAC also plans to use teleoperated robots, drones, pods, and other devices to assist in the construction process.

The launch date of Voyager Station is set for 2027, depending on funding and regulatory approvals. OAC estimates that the cost of building the station will be around $3 billion USD¹, which it hopes to raise from investors, partners, customers, and crowdfunding campaigns². OAC has already signed agreements with dozens of potential customers³, including governments, corporations, universities, research institutions, and private individuals. OAC also offers consulting services to help these customers prepare for their use of the orbital assets.

The price of staying at Voyager Station has not been announced yet, but it is expected to be very high at first. OAC estimates that a three-day stay at the station will cost around $5 million USD⁴, which includes transportation costs from Earth⁵. However, OAC hopes to lower the price over time as more competitors enter the market and more infrastructure is developed in space. OAC's goal is to make space accessible to everyone⁶, not just the wealthy or the elite.

Voyager Station is not only a hotel in space; it is also a milestone in human history. It represents the culmination of decades of scientific and technological innovation, as well as the realization of a dream shared by many people around the world. It is an opportunity to explore new frontiers, discover new possibilities, and experience new sensations. It is a chance to see our planet from a different perspective, appreciate its beauty and fragility, and inspire future generations to protect it.

Voyager Station is more than just a place; it is a state of mind. It is where adventure meets comfort, where science meets art, where culture meets nature. It is where humanity meets space.

References:

¹: [First space hotel set to open in 2027 - Dezeen](2)

²: [Orbital Assembly ← Netcapital](7)

³: [Orbital Assembly Corporation - SpaceAgency](8)

⁴: [Voyager Station: First-Ever 'Space Hotel' Set to Open in 2027 - Insider](3)

⁵: [Inside the space hotel scheduled to open in 2025 | CNN](1)

⁶: [Introducing Pioneer Station - Above: Space News](9)

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(1) Inside the space hotel scheduled to open in 2025 | CNN. https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/space-hotel-orbital-assembly-scn/index.html.

(2) First space hotel set to open in 2027 - Dezeen. https://www.dezeen.com/2021/03/09/space-hotel-voyager-station-gateway-foundation/.

(3) Voyager Station: First-Ever 'Space Hotel' Set to Open in 2027 - Insider. https://www.insider.com/voyager-station-first-ever-space-hotel-set-open-in-2027-2021-3.

(4) World’s First Space Hotel to Open in 2027 | ArchDaily. https://www.archdaily.com/958528/worlds-first-space-hotel-to-open-in-2027.

(5) . https://bing.com/search?q=Orbital+Assembly+Corporation.

(6) Orbital Assembly Corporation. https://abovespace.com/.

(7) First space hotel set to open in 2027 - Dezeen. https://www.dezeen.com/2021/03/09/space-hotel-voyager-station-gateway-foundation/.

(8) Orbital Assembly ← Netcapital. https://netcapital.com/companies/orbital-assembly.

(9) Orbital Assembly Corporation - SpaceAgency. https://space.agency/companies/orbital-assembly-corporation/.

(10) Voyager Station: First-Ever 'Space Hotel' Set to Open in 2027 - Insider. https://www.insider.com/voyager-station-first-ever-space-hotel-set-open-in-2027-2021-3.

(11) Inside the space hotel scheduled to open in 2025 | CNN. https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/space-hotel-orbital-assembly-scn/index.html.

(12) Introducing Pioneer Station - Above: Space News. https://news.abovespace.com/2022/introducing-pioneer-station/.