A California-based startup has announced plans to build what it claims will be the world’s first hotel on the Moon and has begun accepting bookings from future guests willing to pay a $1 million deposit.
The company, Galactic Resource Utilisation Space (GRU Space), said the lunar hotel is expected to open by 2032, subject to regulatory approvals.
GRU Space launched its booking website on January 12, inviting wealthy and adventurous travellers to apply for a stay at what it describes as the first permanent human structure beyond Earth.
According to the company, applicants must place a $1,000,000 deposit, along with a $1,000 non-refundable application fee, to secure an early reservation.
Final pricing has not yet been confirmed but is expected to exceed $10 million. The company also said guests may be required to submit medical, personal and financial documents to prove they are fit for lunar travel.
GRU Space plans to begin construction in 2029. The hotel will be built on Earth and transported to the Moon using a heavy lander. Once deployed, the inflatable structure is designed to host up to four guests at a time for multi-day stays and operate for around 10 years.
Guests are promised views of the lunar surface and Earth, along with planned activities such as moonwalks, surface driving and even golfing.
The startup said it will use a proprietary system to turn lunar soil into durable building material, allowing long-term habitation. It believes tourism will play a key role in developing a sustainable lunar economy.
GRU Space was founded by Skyler Chan, a 21-year-old electrical engineering and computer sciences graduate from the University of California, Berkeley. Chan developed the idea through the Y Combinator startup accelerator.
He had previously worked on vehicle software at Tesla, helped build a NASA-funded 3D printer launched into space, and has backing from investors linked to SpaceX and Anduril.
“This is not space tourism as we know it,” the company said on its website, adding that early guests would help lay the foundations for life beyond Earth.
