The Orbital Assembly Corporation (OAC) has revealed the interior concept of the commercial space station Voyager. Scheduled to begin operating in 2027 in Earth orbit, it will be a luxury hotel with artificial gravity. In addition, OAC revealed its plans for a smaller version, Pioneer, which could open by 2025.
A “space hotel” is a concept that seems to have come out of science fiction movies: a space station whose connected units form a large carousel with luxurious accommodations for its clients. Voyager will have the capacity to receive up to 400 people.
Meanwhile, OAC is working on another concept: the Pioneer station, a smaller version of Voyager, which has a capacity of 28 people. According to the company, the goal is for it to function as a “business park” that will house, in addition to receiving tourists, offices and facilities for space research.
These spatial environments, quite different from the spaces within International Space Station (ISS), which is not comfortable at all, may seem like something impossible to deal with. But Tim Altori, the company’s chief operating officer, believes that view will change as space tourism grows.
space comfort
In an interview with CNN TravelAltorre explained that the new concept of the Pionner station will ensure that the company’s goal is achieved sooner. “This will give us the opportunity to get people to start experiencing space on a larger scale and more quickly,” he added.
In addition, with Pioneer in operation, the company will raise funds to continue building Voyager. In any case, both stations will serve as a “bicycle wheel” in orbit around the Earth. giant ring It will produce artificial gravitywith an intensity similar to that occurring on the Moon.
In the center of the seasons, there will be no gravity, but the closer one gets to the edges, the greater the sense of gravity will be. Altorre stressed that at first, customers would deal with “inconveniences”, because using the bathroom and eating without the gravity of the earth would still be an exotic thing.
Illustrations of Voyager Station reveal many environments very similar to the luxury hotels on Earth: dining rooms, bars, gymnasiums, and super comfortable rooms. The main and best difference is that when looking through the windows, the client will notice the darkness of space and the beauty of the land.
Monitor space tourism
Last year Richard Branson Space Tourism “The Opening” By launching a suborbital flight with his company, Virgin Galactic. Then Blue Origin began its sub-tropical flights with commercial customers, including a flight with William ShatnerRepresentative Star Trekwho at 91 became the oldest person to go into space.
In addition to these initiatives, we have SpaceX, also launched in 2021 The first entirely private space mission, Without the participation of government space agencies or professional astronauts. For Altorre, the means to reach space already exist, but a suitable destination is still missing.
The International Space Station itself has received tourists from space, including Dennis Tito who, in 2001, Become the first space tourist. However, the International Station is an environment designed for work and scientific research, so OAC space hotels are arriving to fill that niche.
In response to criticism of the growth of space tourism, who say all this money can be invested Troubleshooting on the groundTim Altori explained that: “Many life-changing technologies” arise from space exploration, Citing GPS as an example.
Altorre also stressed that space tourism will not be limited to billionaires who can afford it fortune for a trip to space. According to him, the company is doing everything possible to “make space for everyone”. Still, there are many challenges to overcome.
The company needs to know how much artificial gravity it will need at its stations, as well as keep its customers safe from space radiation. However, since the tourists have to stay in the units for a few weeks, the radiation won’t be harmful.
The company’s chief operating officer said space hotels won’t emerge overnight, but it’s only a matter of time before they become a reality. For Altorre, space tourism is just getting started.
Source: Via CNN
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