SAN JOSE, Calif. — The first-ever luxury space hotel was unveiled today during the Space 2.0 Summit in San Jose, Calif. Aurora Station is being developed by Orion Span’s team of space-industry veterans and is slated to host its first guests in 2022.
The exclusive hotel will host six people at a time – including two crew members. Space travellers will enjoy a completely authentic, once-in-a-lifetime astronaut experience during their 12-day journey. Packages start at $9.5-million per person.
“We developed Aurora Station to provide a turnkey destination in space. Upon launch, Aurora Station goes into service immediately, bringing travellers into space quicker and at a lower price point than ever seen before, while still providing an unforgettable experience,” says Frank Bunger, CEO and founder of Orion Span. “Our goal is to make space accessible to all, by continuing to drive greater value at lower cost.”
During their stay on Aurora Station, travellers will enjoy zero gravity and stunning views of earth; take part in research experiments, such as growing food while in orbit; revel in a virtual reality experience on the holodeck; and can stay in touch or live stream with their loved ones via high-speed wireless Internet access.
Prior to take-off, those set to travel on Aurora Station will take part in a three-month Orion Span Astronaut Certification (OSAC). Phase one of the program is done online, with the second portion to be completed in-person at Orion Span’s state-of-the-art training facility in Houston, Texas. The final certification is completed during a traveller’s stay on Aurora Station.
“Our architecture is such that we can easily add capacity, enabling us to grow with market demand like a city growing skyward on Earth,” adds Bunger. “We will later sell dedicated modules as the world’s first condominiums in space.”
