If another summer of beach clubs, sunbeds and predictable cocktails in Ayia Napa feels a little too familiar, there is a radically different – and decidedly not cheap – alternative on the table. A California-based start-up is now accepting $1 million deposits for hotel rooms on the Moon.
A lunar hotel by 2032
Wealthy adventure seekers can now reserve a stay at what is being billed as the first-ever permanent off-Earth hotel, scheduled to open by 2032. The project is led by Galactic Resource Utilization Space (GRU), which launched its booking website earlier this month, allowing early customers to secure a place in the pioneering venture.
The company says construction of the lunar hotel is expected to begin in 2029, pending regulatory approval. Guests must place a $1,000,000 deposit to be among the first visitors to the Moon-based accommodation.
How the Moon hotel will be built
According to GRU, the hotel will be constructed using a proprietary system of habitation modules and an automated process that transforms lunar soil into durable structures. The approach aims to minimise the need to transport building materials from Earth, a critical factor in making long-term lunar habitation viable.
The company has also released a white paper outlining its broader strategy for expanding humanity’s presence on the Moon, starting with the high-end hotel and gradually developing a wider settlement.
Who is expected to book a stay
GRU expects its early clientele to include individuals who have already participated in commercial space flights, as well as wealthy couples seeking what the company describes as an “out-of-this-world” honeymoon experience.
Tourism, the start-up argues, is essential for kickstarting a sustainable lunar economy and represents “the fastest path for humanity to become interplanetary”.
The founder and the vision
GRU was founded by Skyler Chan, a 21-year-old graduate in electrical engineering and computer sciences from the University of California, Berkeley. Chan developed the concept as part of the Y Combinator programme.
“We live during an inflection point where we can actually become interplanetary before we die,” Chan said in a statement. “If we succeed, billions of human lives will be born on the Moon and Mars and be able to experience the beauty of lunar and Martian life.”
Chan has raised funding from investors connected to SpaceX and Anduril, the latter specialising in autonomous defence systems.
Alignment with US space ambitions
The idea of a permanent human presence on the Moon aligns with broader US space ambitions supported by President Donald Trump and spearheaded by NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. Chan has said he hopes GRU can play a role in turning these plans into reality.
Source: Space.com