U.S. Company Ready To Build Outer Space Hotel

MOSCOW. June 21 (Interfax) – The U.S. company Space Adventures is prepared to build a hotel in the outer space if it proves economically feasible, Space Adventures chief Eric Anderson has said.

“Since the cost of a space flight is quite high, building an orbital hotel is unlikely to be feasible at present. We can do it when the price for space tourism drops,” reads Anderson’s statement, obtained by Interfax.

“We are focusing on more realistic goals, such as sub-orbit flights which will trigger growth in space tourism,” the statement says.

Under an agreement signed recently by Rosaviakosmos, the Energia corporation and Space Adventures, the Russian side has committed to taking two space tourists aboard Soyuz rockets.

Space Adventures’ rival, MirCorp, planned to launch its own orbital station for space tourists. The station was also to be used as a lab for private companies and would accommodate up to three astronauts. MirCorp planned to obtain financing through space tourism and attraction of new investors. However, MirCorp’s project has been put on hold.