Orbit Assembly

Out of this World

Orbital Assembly enhances the guest experience with a hybrid gravity approach on board its space hotel.

Aside from the edge-of-the-world views, one of the most-asked questions of any astronaut is ‘how do you pee in space?’ With hoses, funnels and suction hardly conducive to a luxury stay, Orbital Assembly has come up with a hybrid approach for its forthcoming Pioneer-class station, billed as the first free-flying, habitable, privately operated facility in orbit for work, rest and play.

In its ambition to create the ideal conditions for holidaying in space, the group has tapped into research carried out by former space station astronaut Mae Jemison and Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of California, Ronke Olabisi. Exploring the effects of variable and partial gravity on human health, the research identified what people like and dislike about gravity. “They like the ability to float around but they dislike how microgravity makes their body feel,” explains Tim Alatorre, Vice President of Habitation and Chief Operating Officer of Orbital Assembly, pointing out that daily tasks such as eating, drinking, sleeping and using the bathroom are far more challenging in space. “With our hybrid gravity approach visitors will live in an artificial gravity environment but visit a different area of the station for all types of microgravity activities. We are working to make our stations accessible and safe for people who will be living for long periods of time in orbit.”

The approach will be implemented on the Pioneer-class station from its debut in 2025, made possible thanks to a structure of customisable modules built around a rotating gravity ring. In a bid to offer all the amenities of a luxury hotel in space, OA has partnered with lifestyle brand Dream Big World to develop the first retail experience in space, which can be previewed at stores in Dubai and Cancun via VR and immersive 3D simulation. And a hotel experience wouldn’t be complete without an F&B offering, so the group is also collaborating with alternative protein producer Micro Meat to develop cultivated meat production systems on board the station, further facilitating long-term space habitation in the process.