NEWS
Floating Space Hotel Set to Launch in 2021
Source: John Raoux for Getty Images
Billionaire hotel mogul, Robert Bigelow, has revealed plans to launch floating space stations into outer space by 2021, as part of his Bigelow Space Operations – a commercial space company.
One B330 represents a Station, two represent a Complex. Two B330's ready for launch in 2021. pic.twitter.com/zfahN9ThEv
— Bigelow Space Ops (@bigelowspaceops) February 21, 2018
The 72-year-old founder of Budget Suites of America is set to launch a ‘B330’ “fully autonomous standalone space stations” consisting of two-modules that when linked together in outer space offer twice the cubic capacity of the International Space Station.
The Evening Standard are reporting Bigelow hopes to rent out the space accomodations to governments requiring time in space for scientific study, but also hopes the idea of spending a vacation in low-earth orbit will appeal to those with the financial funds to do so, as bookings will likely cost in the “low eight figures.”
The B330 space stations will float in the low-earth orbit zone, approximately 250 miles above earth and each unit can hold approximately 6 people.
We are excited for @NASA's commercial partnerships focus, especially for low Earth orbit. Together, Bigelow Aerospace and Bigelow Space Operations are ready to lead the charge for human spaceflight commercialization. pic.twitter.com/vsnrG8JH2g
— Bigelow Space Ops (@bigelowspaceops) February 20, 2018
Bigelow’s future goal is to “market and operate these and other space stations, including future generations developed by Bigelow Aerospace that are so capable, so diverse and so large that they can accommodate virtually unlimited use almost anywhere,” according to the company’s website.
The company is eyeing the possibility of building a new manufacturing facility in either Florida, Alabama or some other suitable location that would be able to manufacture a single space station, launched on a single rocket, containing 2.4 times the pressurized volume of the entire International Space Station” in the future.
