HIGH FLYERS
Posh space bases of the future including floating 400-guest ‘orbital ring’ and Hilton’s Starlab with flying sky gym
Billionaire Jeff Bezos is behind the third one
LIVING in space is about to get a whole lot fancier as design companies race to get their futuristic bases floating around Earth.
The International Space Station's days are numbered (with it due to come down in just five years) – but there are some tempting replacements in the works.
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Hilton Starlab
First up is the Starlab, which would be a commercial space station built for four people.
And its creators have brought iconic (and previously Earth-only) hotel chain Hilton on board to design the interior – including living spaces.
It's being funded by the USA's Nasa and Europe's ESA, and would help to replace the ISS once it's deorbited in the early 2030s.
Late last year, Hilton revealed a fly-through video to show the interior, including "communal areas, wellness spaces, and advanced sleeping quarters".
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"This first-look at the Starlab project is just a sneak peek at the exciting progress we’ve made in research and design over the past two years," said Hilton's Larry Traxler.
"Our team is enthusiastic about the future of human space exploration and how hospitality has an opportunity to touch it all—from pre-flight training, to the in-space experience, to our guests’ return to Earth."
The Starlab station would feature relaxation pods and an above-Earth gym.
And each guest would have their own "private sleeping pod".
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It's expected to launch as soon as 2028, with Elon Musk's SpaceX chosen to use its Starship rocket as a launch vehicle.
Sadly the project is meant to be for American and European astronauts who want to conduct research – and not for space tourism.
Watch view from inside Jeff Bezos’ ritzy Orbital Reef ‘space park’ for tourists
Voyager Station
Then there's the Voyager Station, which is a giant ring that orbits Earth.
The space station uses a rotating wheel design that promises to provide Earth-like gravity in orbit.
It's being developed by a US-based company called Above: Space Development Corporation.
And it would be expected to house as many as 400 guests at a time.
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There's also a smaller Pioneer Station pitched that could be built sooner, but would only house 28 passengers.
Above: Space hopes that tourists would be able to take in stunning views of Earth on trips that last between four days right up to two weeks.
Of course the length of the trip would likely depend on how much you're willing to pay – and though there's no set pricing, tickets to space won't come cheap.
The hope is that guests would be able to stay in luxurious accommodation – similar to Earthly hotels, but with space views – in the ring portion of the structure.
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Meanwhile the operations and control would take place in the central part of the "wheel" – which is also where large spaceships could dock.
Sadly, there's no word on funding or construction just yet, with craft described as a "distant future" project.
So while the designs might be impressive, it's not worth saving up for a holiday on the Voyager Station for now.
Orbital Reef
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Amazon founder and billionaire Jeff Bezos channels his space ambitions through Blue Origin.
The company is best known for its rockets, but it's also working on plans for a low-Earth orbit space station.
This high-flying base is called Orbital Reef, and is described as a "mixed-use business park" – and that includes serving up space tourism.
It was first revealed in 2021, and is part of a Nasa-funded project to create a commercial space station that can be used for above-Earth holidays (as well as research and business).
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The station would circle Earth 250 miles overhead and offer tourists stunning views of our home planet, with Blue Origin adding: "Reducing the costs associated with living and working in space is paramount to a vibrant future for the benefit of Earth."
Bezos' company explains: "Think spacious modules with large windows to view Earth, our blue origin, while experiencing the thrill of weightlessness in complete comfort.
"Distinct quarters will be designed for personal and business use, and large hatches create a safe and inspiring environment.
"We aim to provide a truly extraordinary experience, whether you are in orbit for research, logistics, tourism, or other applications."
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WHAT IS THE ISS?
Here's what you need to know about the International Space Station...
- The International Space Station, often abbreviated to ISS, is a large space craft that orbits Earth and houses astronauts who go up there to complete scientific missions
- Many countries worked together to build it and they work together to use it
- It is made up of many pieces, which astronauts had to send up individually on rockets and put together from 1998 to 2000
- Ever since the year 2000, people have lived on the ISS
- Nasa uses the station to learn about living and working in space
- It is approximately 250 miles above Earth and orbits around the planet just like a satellite
- Living inside the ISS is said to be like living inside a big house with five bedrooms, two bathrooms, a gym, lots of science labs and a big bay window for viewing Earth
- But the ISS's days are numbered, with a de-orbiting planned for 2030
- Ultimately the ISS will crash into the sea, and will be replaced by commercial space stations
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Blue Origin has teamed up on the project with a company called Sierra Space, which says it hopes to get Orbital Reef live "by the end of this decade".
The latest updates on the project came midway through 2024, when Nasa (which has promised $130 million in funding) revealed that Blue Origin had passed several testing milestones – including Sierra Space's inflatable LIFE habitat modules.