What is the story about?
People always want to go to wild and exotic travel destinations. Think of the ‘Door to Hell’ in Turkmenistan or the ‘Salar de Uyuni’ in Bolivia, for example. However, one US company will soon give people the chance to book a hotel room on the Moon.
GRU Space, a California-based firm, has announced plans to build what it says will be the world’s first permanent hotel on the Moon. If the project sees the light of day, it will become the first human-designed structure intended for long-term use beyond Earth.
The hotel is expected to welcome guests as early as 2032. Here's all you need to know.
A California-based start-up called GRU Space has stated its plans to open the world’s first hotel on the Moon by 2032. What’s more, it has already begun accepting applications from future guests.
The hotel would combine Earth-made inflatable living modules with an automated process that converts lunar soil into brick-like material for its exterior. The approach reduces the need to transport heavy materials from Earth, one of space engineering’s biggest hurdles.
Initially, only travellers with prior commercial spaceflight experience will be allowed to visit the hotel. Then, those seeking a once-in-a-universe holiday will be allowed to book rooms.
The firm, GRU Space, short for Galactic Resource Utilisation, was founded in 2025 by 22-year-old Skyler Chan, a graduate in electrical engineering and computer sciences from the University of California, Berkeley.
The Moon Hotel was part of a start-up accelerator, Y Combinator.
“I’ve been obsessed with space since I was a kid,” Chan said. “I’ve always wanted to become an astronaut, and feel extremely fortunate to be doing my life’s work.” According to Space.com, Chan said he has raised funds for the project from investors behind SpaceX and Anduril, a company developing autonomous defence systems.
“We live during an inflection point where we can actually become interplanetary before we die,” Chan said in the statement. “If we succeed, billions of human lives will be born on the Moon and Mars and be able to experience the beauty of lunar and Martian life.”
The company wants to use space tourism to build a lasting economy on the Moon.
But there’s a catch.
The only roadblock between you and the Moon may be the price that GRU Space is expecting for the hotel berths.
According to the company, applicants must place a $1 million (Rs 9.162 crore) deposit along with a $1,000 (Rs 91,620) non-refundable application fee to secure an early reservation. Although a final price has not yet been confirmed, it is expected to exceed $10 million (Rs 91.62 crore).
The company also stated that guests may be required to submit medical, personal and financial documents to prove they are fit for lunar travel, according to News18.
According to Gulf News, GRU Space, in partnership with NASA, aims to begin lunar construction tests in 2029, starting with a small inflatable structure designed to study durability and environmental conditions.
If the tests succeed, GRU Space will move on to constructing a larger structure in a lunar pit, a natural depression that could offer slightly warmer and more stable conditions than the Moon’s surface. The company also plans to test a method of turning lunar dust into bricks, which would later be used to shield the hotel from radiation and extreme temperatures.
By the final mission, mostly planned for 2032, GRU Space hopes to set up its first working version of its Moon hotel. As per Gulf News, the initial hotel will accommodate four guests, with plans to expand capacity as technology and logistics evolve.
It is envisioned as a boutique stay with an otherworldly view. Over time, additional inflatable units would be added, allowing the hotel to grow using bricks formed from lunar material.
With inputs from agencies
GRU Space, a California-based firm, has announced plans to build what it says will be the world’s first permanent hotel on the Moon. If the project sees the light of day, it will become the first human-designed structure intended for long-term use beyond Earth.
The hotel is expected to welcome guests as early as 2032. Here's all you need to know.
Hotel on the Moon
A California-based start-up called GRU Space has stated its plans to open the world’s first hotel on the Moon by 2032. What’s more, it has already begun accepting applications from future guests.
The hotel would combine Earth-made inflatable living modules with an automated process that converts lunar soil into brick-like material for its exterior. The approach reduces the need to transport heavy materials from Earth, one of space engineering’s biggest hurdles.
Details on booking hotel on the Moon. Image Courtesy: @HassanTahir__/X
Initially, only travellers with prior commercial spaceflight experience will be allowed to visit the hotel. Then, those seeking a once-in-a-universe holiday will be allowed to book rooms.
The firm, GRU Space, short for Galactic Resource Utilisation, was founded in 2025 by 22-year-old Skyler Chan, a graduate in electrical engineering and computer sciences from the University of California, Berkeley.
The Moon Hotel was part of a start-up accelerator, Y Combinator.
“I’ve been obsessed with space since I was a kid,” Chan said. “I’ve always wanted to become an astronaut, and feel extremely fortunate to be doing my life’s work.” According to Space.com, Chan said he has raised funds for the project from investors behind SpaceX and Anduril, a company developing autonomous defence systems.
“We live during an inflection point where we can actually become interplanetary before we die,” Chan said in the statement. “If we succeed, billions of human lives will be born on the Moon and Mars and be able to experience the beauty of lunar and Martian life.”
The company wants to use space tourism to build a lasting economy on the Moon.
A pricey stay
But there’s a catch.
The only roadblock between you and the Moon may be the price that GRU Space is expecting for the hotel berths.
According to the company, applicants must place a $1 million (Rs 9.162 crore) deposit along with a $1,000 (Rs 91,620) non-refundable application fee to secure an early reservation. Although a final price has not yet been confirmed, it is expected to exceed $10 million (Rs 91.62 crore).
The company also stated that guests may be required to submit medical, personal and financial documents to prove they are fit for lunar travel, according to News18.
Tests before construction starts
According to Gulf News, GRU Space, in partnership with NASA, aims to begin lunar construction tests in 2029, starting with a small inflatable structure designed to study durability and environmental conditions.
The limited edition GRU Brick. Image Courtesy: @gru_space/X
If the tests succeed, GRU Space will move on to constructing a larger structure in a lunar pit, a natural depression that could offer slightly warmer and more stable conditions than the Moon’s surface. The company also plans to test a method of turning lunar dust into bricks, which would later be used to shield the hotel from radiation and extreme temperatures.
By the final mission, mostly planned for 2032, GRU Space hopes to set up its first working version of its Moon hotel. As per Gulf News, the initial hotel will accommodate four guests, with plans to expand capacity as technology and logistics evolve.
It is envisioned as a boutique stay with an otherworldly view. Over time, additional inflatable units would be added, allowing the hotel to grow using bricks formed from lunar material.
With inputs from agencies
