Galactic Suite Space Resort to open in 2010

Galactic Suite Space Resort, a company based in Barcelona, Spain, says that it is set to open the first hotel in space in 2012.

The space-hotel, which will keep orbiting the Earth, is to cost several billions of dollars, according to the company.

Despite doubts expressed by analysts about the deadline for the inauguration of the space-hotel and the huge amount of money involved in keeping it going,  Galactic Suite Space Resort is unfazed and is aiming at and expecting what it calls a “potentially lucrative market.” The analysts also say that the company has so far produced no evidence of the space-hotel’s hardware.

As of today, the only way for a private citizen to travel to space is by signing up with Russia, who have a program to send those who pay up enough to the International Space Station. However, this is an option open only to billionaires. The first space tourist had to fork out around 35

According to Xavier Claramunt, director of Galactic Suite Space Resort, a trip in the orbiting space hotel will include an 8-week training stay at a resort, or spaceport, in the Caribbean as well as a two-and-a-half-day journey to the space-hotel on board a spacecraft, made in Russia. The company, Claramunt added, plans to charge $4.4 million, or €3 million, for the entire space-tour package.

Galactic Suite space hotel photo gallery

Image shows Galactic Suite's two space hotels in orbit with earth in the background

View from inside the Galactic Suite space hotel. Not a real photo, of course!

Image shows a SpaceshipTwo (we think) docked to a Galactic Suite space hotel

Despite the photos above which shows a SpaceShiTwo lookalike docked to the Galactic Suite hotel orbiting in space – we do not think there is any such understanding with Virgin Galactic. Officially, Galactic Suite has said that they would use Russian rockets for the trip to space from a spaceport built in the Caribbean.

To begin with, the space-hotel will comprise a single module in which 4 guests and 2 pilots are to stay for 3 days of “micro-gravity fun and the greatest view off the Earth,” according to Xavier Claramunt.

This single module is to orbit 450 kilometres above the Earth, travelling at a speed of 28,000 kilometres per hour.

During the stay in the Galactic Suite space-hotel, guests can see the Sun rise 15 times a day, while travelling around the Earth once every 90 minutes.

Claramunt claims that the “space-travel industry” has a “future” and that, within a few years, space travel is set to become something common.

He said that over 200 people have by now expressed interest in travelling in the Galactic Suite space-hotel, with 43 persons already having made reservations.

The idea of an orbiting space station carrying fee-paying tourists began somewhat as a hobby for Xavier Claramunt, a former aerospace engineer.

Galactic Suite Space Resort joined the development of space station the after a space enthusiast (whose name is yet to be revealed) invested US $3 billion to build the space station. Later, a United States-based company, which aims at “colonizing” Mars, invested in the project.

It is reported that talks are currently going with private investors from the United States, Japan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to make them participate in the ambitious project.

Meanwhile, the construction of ‘Spaceport America’ is progressing in New Mexico, the United States. Spaceport America is the first facility in the world being built specifically for commercial customers who want to travel to space.

Virgin Galactic, the space-tour company owned by British billionaire Richard Branson, is planning to use Spaceport America to send tourists into suborbital space – with one ride costing $200,000.

According to Virgin Galactic, 300 persons have so far either signed up or paid up for the space trip.

Space tourism has always been an idea that has fascinated people ever since the invention of space travel. But till the advent of private entrepreneurship into the space travel business – especially companies such as Virgin Galactic and their SpaceShipOne and SpaceShipTwo. We have been tracking Virgin Galactic for a while. You can read our archived articles about Virgin Galactic’s plans, or view a photo gallery of SpaceShipTwo here.

If Galactic Suite manages to deliver on its promises, it will make a trip to Space affordable for a much larger number of people. It might even be considered the ultimate romantic getaway – minus the sex in space, we think. Sex in space is is till unexplored territory, and the effect of zero gravity on the sperm and egg have not been researched fully to make it a viable option. But trust the space hotel industry to find a way!