Planning on visiting space in 2021? Elon Musk will make this possible
There’s holidaying and then there’s holidaying. As technology makes the world smaller and nearly every corner of the globe is accessible to those with the time, money or stomach, hotel groups, restaurateurs and tour operators have become increasingly creative with travel options, largely because “there’s tremendous interest in one-of-a-kind experiences”, according to Orion Span founder and CEO Frank Bunger.
Elon Musk and his aerospace company, SpaceX, are envisioning to send humans to the outer space through Starship, a 180-foot-tall spaceship that can accommodate 100 people, within the next decade.
Not too long ago, space travel was the purview of Nasa and Hollywood: it was for astronauts and fantasy.
Come 2021-2022, the world’s first commercial space stations will open to paying guests. The Axiom Space Station is the private successor to the International Space Station (ISS), and is a working science lab that will soon be welcoming private visitors.
Orion Span’s Aurora Station is the world’s first modular station and will be home to a luxury hotel in low Earth orbit. Bunger calls Aurora a “turnkey destination in space” that can have travellers ready for zero-G in three months. Aurora is taking reservations, and Bunger says, “Our current customers hail from every corner of the globe”, looking for that unique experience. “That’s the value we’re providing.”
Over at Axiom, the selling point could be interiors by French design icon Philippe Starck, who will carry on the legacy of ISS with materials and layouts that have worked for nearly two decades – with a glamorous tweak for guests – as well as a trip to orbit. Axiom president, co-founder and CEO Michael Suffredini thinks there’s more to space travel than bragging rights.
“Seeing the world as a delicate, singular entity against the vast backdrop of the universe indelibly changes people,” he told the Robb Report. “Most individuals return from space with a profound sense of urgency to do more to protect our fragile planet”, noting its clientele “will be some of the most influential people in the world, so we see a positive change coming for all of us and our planet”.
Bunger agrees, and believes there is plenty of room in the market for two space station destinations. Aurora will distinguish itself by focusing on “providing an amazing experience. Aurora Station is not just a room in space: it is a life-changing experience. From initial contact, to training, to launch, to return, we provide our customers with the experience of what it is like to be an astronaut.” Not surprisingly, space comes with a hefty price. Axiom’s trips start at US$55 million (axiomspace.com) an d Aurora’s at US$9.5 million.
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Elon Musk’s company SpaceX is planning to send humans to outer space through Starship, and Orion Span’s Aurora Station will be home to a luxury hotel