Russian firm releases photos of space hotel

Technology

Russian firm releases photos of space hotel

Close

A Russian firm has released pictures of the space hotel plans to open for service in 2016.

22 August,2011 10:51 am

Reuters reports that The Commercial Space Station, or CSS as its known, will orbit 217 miles above the earth and have room to accommodate up to 7 guests, so grab your six closest (and wealthiest) buddies, and get excited for the view.According to the Daily Mail, guests aboard the CSS will dine on food like braised veal cheeks with wild mushrooms and imbibe iced tea and fruit juice. Alcohol, however, will not be available, so prepare to abstain for a few days.The International Business Times adds that the Commercial Space Stations lavatories will use air to flush, rather than using water like earth toilets do.But space-age toilets and gravity-free consumption of veal cheeks comes at a hefty price. The cost for a five-day stay at the CSS is nearly $1 million. Dvice.com notes, taking into account the $800,000 round-trip airfare (space fare) and the $160,000 price of the hotel stay.Another purpose the CSS will serve, according to Orbital Technologies, is as a safety refuge for astronauts aboard the International Space Station in case of an emergency.Sergey Kostenko, the CEO of Orbital Technologies, called the CSS a true gateway to the rest of the solar system when the company first announced the plans in September 2010. A short stop-over at our station will be the perfect beginning of a manned circumlunar flight, he said. Deep space manned exploration missions planned in the next decade are also welcome to use the CSS as a waypoint and a supply station.