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Don’t forget to pack your space suit.
A Silicon Valley startup is giving new meaning to the destination vacation by accepting reservations for a planned hotel on the moon — with prices ranging from $250,000 to $1 million per guest.
GRU Space aims to build a lasting human outpost on the lunar surface by 2032, with testing and early construction estimated to begin in 2029.
The first lunar habitats will be inflatable and can host up to four guests for multi-day stays. Visitors can enjoy moonwalks, driving and golfing during their visits, with the initial inn built to last for a decade, the company says.
Future structures will be fortified with lunar materials and allow for a full 10 guests. The goal is to eventually replace them with something grander, such as a brick structure modeled after San Francisco’s Palace of Fine Arts.
“We need to really shoot for the literal moon,” GRU Space founder Skyler Chan, 22, told The Observer.
But the hotel will be more than a playground for luxury travelers, at least on paper. It’s presented as a step toward humanity’s future beyond Earth, reflecting a growing belief in tech circles that civilization’s future includes out-of-this-world addresses.
Governments and companies funded by the uber-wealthy currently control space, according to Chan, who hopes off-Earth tourism can also boost the economy of the cosmos.
“Lunar tourism is the best first wedge to spin up the lunar economy,” he said.
In addition to the eye-popping price of a stay at the hotel, the cost of commuting there will put the trip even more out of reach.
“Final pricing has not yet been determined, but will likely exceed $10 million,” the company states on its reservation website.
Those not thrown by the expense need to pay a $1,000 non-refundable application fee and undergo a background check that includes medical and financial documentation.
The company’s application review is slated to begin this year.
