The Galactic Suite Space Resort Lives!

February 16, 2010 | Uncategorized

If you’re a traveler — and I guess that most people who read this blog are — I need to alert you to a bit of news you may have missed: The Galactic Suite Space Resort is still right on track to accept its first guest in 2012.

Upon hearing this bit of news my first thought was “thank God” since I was getting a bit nervous with this $4.4 million burning a hole in my pocket. That’s the price for a three-night stay in this galactic pod room which will be traveling at 18,000+ miles per hour 280 miles above the earth. The developers think it’s quite a deal since the price also includes an eight-week training course on a tropical island. For that price they better resurrect Marlon Brando to be my island host.

Each pod will hold four guests who will wear Velcro suits so they can stick to the walls like Spiderman instead of floating all over the place. It will also hold two astronaut-pilots, which is a pretty good idea for anyone who needs to be back at work on Monday morning.

But to get to the resort you’ll need to first get yourself to Spaceport America in New Mexico, where British tycoon Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic, still being developed, will propel you up to the station. And that will be another $200,000 a pop unless the Galactic Suite Ltd. Folks can cut you a package deal.

“When the passengers arrive in the rocket, they will join it for 3 days, rocket and capsule. With this we create in the tourist a confidence that he hasn’t been abandoned,” says a representative of the company.

I like that part the best, you know, about feeling that I haven’t been abandoned. After all, what right-minded traveler wants to be stuck up there for eternity with a bunch of old Russian satellites when you still have Machu Picchu and the Great Barrier Reef to see?

On the other hand, you will get to see the sun rise and set 15 times a day. Now that could be really romantic.

Jim Ferri