The most anticipated space hotel has begun construction.

Fifty years have passed since humans first set foot on the Moon. Since then, we have always nurtured the dream of escaping Earth and venturing out into the mysterious yet fascinating universe. However, if becoming an astronaut is perhaps out of reach for many, then a trip into space is not a bad idea.

A California-based company called The Gateway Foundation recently unveiled its design plans for Von Braun Station, a type of space tourism spacecraft that will operate among the stars in outer space. The investors aim to launch this unique hotel from Earth by 2025 and have it officially open to guests by 2027.

Von Braun Station is not the first plan aimed at sending humans off Earth. Several other projects, such as Virgin Galactic, initiated by Elon Musk's SpaceX, or Amazon's Blue Origin Space Station – not to mention NASA's International Space Station, which is also recently planning for commercialization – have been underway.

And Von Braun Station isn't the first ambitious hotel to operate in outer space. Earlier in 2019, a US-based company called Orion Span announced a project for a luxury hotel outside Earth called Aurora Station, scheduled to open in 2022. So what makes Von Braun Station stand out from its counterparts?

differences

In the design released by the Gateway Foundation, Von Braun Station resembles a giant rudder consisting of 24 modules orbiting the Earth. The design is named after Wernher von Braun, an aerospace engineer who pioneered rocket technology, initially working in Germany and later in the United States.

This move by the Gateway Foundation could be controversial, as he worked for a Nazi space program while living in Germany. He only moved on to work for the Apollo space program in the United States after the collapse of the German dictatorship.

The name was unanimously chosen by members of the Gateway Foundation because the new design was based on Von Braun's sketches from about 60 years ago. "The basic physical details of this hotel are not significantly different from the 1950 version," said Tim Alatorre, senior design architect at the Gateway Foundation.

The main difference lies in the materials; this unique hotel will utilize more advanced technologies: new metal alloys, carbon composites. The hotel will also employ 3D printing technology, which, according to Alatorre, will allow for more space at Von Braun Station.

Space tourism is a "money-burning" pastime, for example, Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic project plans to take tourists into space on a suborbital flight at a cost of up to $250,000 per person. Meanwhile, Aurora Station is expected to cost $9.5 million for a vacation there.

Von Braun Station was smarter from the start – making it easier for customers to consider the cost. Of course, their target audience was still those with plenty of money, but the investors hoped the prices would be similar to how people think about a trip to Disneyland.

While Aurora Station aims for a hotel with only 12 bedrooms, Von Braun aspires to have enough rooms to accommodate up to 450 passengers.

A welcoming and aesthetically pleasing space.

You're probably still wondering what the inside of a Von Braun looks like.

Tim Alattore suggests that some people will immediately think of the movie.2001: A Space OdysseyBy director Stanley Kubrick. However, Von Braun will not be like that.

"I think Stanley Kubrick's goal was to highlight the difference between technology and humanity, so he made the spacecraft in2001: A Space Odyssey"It became sterile, excessively clean, and also too unfamiliar," Alattore said.

Instead, Alattore hopes to bring a slice of Earth to Von Braun Station to avoid overwhelming passengers with the architecture. There will be cozy suites with stylish carpets, luxurious furnishings, and bars that look just like the world below Earth, only with a clearer view of the stars.

"We'll have more recreational activities, some of which would be impossible on Earth. Because of the weightlessness and reduced gravity, humans can jump higher and farther, and run in strange ways."

Spacecraft culture

Alattore asserts that his project and that of his colleagues will have lasting vitality and growth, rather than just a trendy advertising gimmick. "People will want to go and experience this because it's something new that no one has experienced before," he shared.

“But our goal—which is also the shared goal of the Gateway Foundation—is to create a space culture. It’s a place where people live and work together in space, and they’ll want to be there. And we believe that such needs will always exist.”

The Gateway Foundation also plans to use Von Braun Station for research and exploration purposes. Alattore said he and his colleagues want Von Braun Station to be a pioneer in outer space, but he knows that even if the project doesn't materialize by 2025, competitors still have a chance to do so.

"Space tourism is the future, and that future will happen," Tim Alattore asserted.

Sustainability

With such a design, there are still some unanswered questions about how Von Braun Station will actually function in outer space. For example, it's always been assumed that living in a zero-gravity environment could be detrimental to human health. Some passengers might only experience a short vacation, but the service staff will certainly be there for more than six months to a year.

"We will adjust their schedule as needed, but all proposals for this project are completely safe," said Tim Alattore.

In addition, there are questions about sustainability; for example, for those looking for eco-friendly travel, Von Braun Station might not be the right choice. But Alattore cited their competitor, SpaceX's spacecraft, as an example.

The ship's Raptor engine uses methane gas instead of oil-based fuel. This suggests that environmentally friendly rocket designs will become a reality in the future.

Alattore also stated that recycling is a top priority at Von Braun Station. “This hotel will be the most eco-friendly holiday ever, because here we recycle everything. There will be no wastewater or waste discarded; everything will be recycled into another form.”

Construction of Von Braun Station at ground level officially commenced on October 1st.

Yuan Bao