Replicating gravity is a huge challenge for space-based tourism startups, more so for those involved in lodging. However, an American startup has come up with the idea for a space hotel that solves the issue.
What’s the space hotel all about?
Making the space accessible is a huge challenge for space-tourism startups. Gravity is vital for humans as most of us cannot cope with floating in space for extended periods. Orbital Assembly Corporation, a California-based startup announced its plan to make the first-ever Pioneer-class space station. Operational by 2025, it is going to be a commercial hybrid and modular space station. This means that it can be used for both leisure and scientific research.
In simple words, the American startup is planning to create the first-ever space hotel and business park in the Earth’s lower orbit. The Pioneer station is going to be a luxury hotel that can accommodate 400 people at a time. Once, operational, the place can house 28 people for a maximum period of two weeks. The Pioneer Space module is going to be an orbiting outpost designed to simulate one-sixth of the Earth’s gravity. They plan to do this by spinning around a gravity ring. Hence, according to the company, they can easily move “while eating or drinking out of a cup normally and sleeping without having to be attached to a bed”. Additionally, creating gravity will mitigate the harmful effects of microgravity on our bodies.
The science behind the space hotel
The entire unit will be surrounded by a ring-like external structure. This ring-like structure will rotate or spin the module, creating a centrifugal force that simulates gravitational force and therefore a portion of the Earth’s gravity. This is known as rotational simulated gravity. Moreover, humans will not be successful in functioning in zero gravity environments without proper training. However, if the firm manages to successfully achieve this, it is going to be a game-changer for the space tourism industry.
So far, NASA has awarded contracts to private firms such as Northrop Group and Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origins. They are going to launch Lower Earth Orbit (LEO) space stations before 2030. The LEO space stations are private properties that are going to replace the International Space Station (ISS) following its decommissioning.
