Airline passenger news and views

Once, walking on the moon was an extraordinary achievement for humankind; today, it is merely 'good' as the amazing age of space tourism is already well under way...

We first saw the creation of touristic orbital space trips, then came the development of the 'more affordable' suborbital flights, due to be launched in 2011-12, but today; the race for the creation of the planet's first space hotel is on. The company Galactic Suite Space Resort, based in Barcelona, claims it will open the very first orbiting space hotel as soon as 2012.

The experience comes as a package and includes participating in an 8-week training course at a luxurious hotel on a tropical island, transport to and from the hotel on a rocket, staying at the orbiting hotel for three consecutive nights and enjoying the stunningly unique views from the hotel's windows - Earth as it turns, the millions of stars, the infinity of space, and the 15 sunrises a day - one every 80 minutes.

The price for all this is about 3 million Euros - a bargain according to the company. Believe it or not, the biggest challenge in this project is the guests' bathroom. Arranging showering and the evacuation of the more 'private matters' proved to be very problematic aspects. Showering will probably be done with floating water bubbles and toilet flushing with water foam. Also, eating and drinking at the hotel will have to be limited to whatever can be consumed in space. Although all these services can be more luxurious on planet Earth, they are counterbalanced by a set of brand new sensations that come with staying at a space hotel: merely those associated with indulging in zero-gravity activities like floating or sleeping vertically.

Already 43 people have apparently made reservations so far. Galactic Suites is however not the only one with such grandiose projects. Russian company Orbital Technologies announced this last August its intention of building its own space hotel by 2016, named 'Hotel in the Heavens' and Hilton International is also looking into creating its first space hotel: the Hilton Orbital Hotel... So if you have the desire and funds for a real escape, you know who to call…