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US-based new space startup Galactic Resource Utilisation (GRU) Space has revealed ambitious plans to build the first hotel on the Moon, with the initial deployment targeted for 2032. The company focuses on in-situ resource utilisation (ISRU) to enable sustainable off-world habitation. Inhabitants on the Moon cannot rely on materials from Earth entirely, and will have to use the locally available resources. GRU Space has identified a gap in conventional space efforts, that have advanced launch capabilities, but lack the infrastructure for long-term presence on the Moon or Mars. GRU Space argues that true expansion requires closed-loop systems using local resources, rejecting reliance on government-led incremental development.
The idea here is to leverage lunar tourism as an economic driver to fund and validate technologies needed for broader infrastructure. The initial v1 hotel, fully manufactured on Earth, will be an inflatable structure delivered by heavy landers such as the SpaceX Starship or the Blue Origin Blue Moon spaceships. It will accommodate four guests for multi-day stays, equipped with environmental control and life support systems for scrubbing carbon dioxide, generating oxygen, reclaiming water and managing heat. The structure uses multi-layered fabrics to retain protection and protect against micrometeoroids, as well as thermal and UV shielding. GRU projects a 10-year operational lifetime with placement in a scenic location offering Earth views and extravehicular activities.
The second version and beyond will incorporate ISRU, using locally sourced lunar regolith to form geopolymer-based building materials. The production of geopolymers requires far less energy than sintering or melting. A small amount of activator is shipped from the Earth with potential for full local sourcing later. This allows for larger capacity hotels, up to 10 guests, and extended lifetimes, up to 20 years, by adding regolith-derived shielding for thermal stability and radiation shielding. Structures may be partially placed in lunar pits or lava tubes for protection against cosmic rays and temperature swings. GRU Space is positioning the hotel as dual-use infrastructure, aligned with the goals of USA in space. After the Moon, GRU Space plans to build a hotel on Mars.
