NASA-Backed Moon Construction Tests in 2029
What once seemed confined to science fiction may soon move closer to reality, with the possibility of hotel guests opening their curtains to an uninterrupted view of the Moon’s vast surface.
A US-based startup has announced plans to build what it claims will be the world’s first permanent hotel on the Moon, with the first guests expected to arrive by 2032. The company, GRU Space, has already begun accepting advance applications, signalling serious intent behind a project that, if successful, could mark the first long-term human-made structure beyond Earth. rewite this paragraph news style
In its initial phase, the hotel will exclusively welcome travelers with prior commercial spaceflight experience. The company plans to later expand access to a limited group of civilians, described as “once-in-a-universe” tourists, offering an extraordinary and unprecedented space-based experience.
GRU Space, or Galactic Resource Utilisation, was founded in 2025 by 22-year-old UC Berkeley graduate Skyler Chan, who studied electrical engineering and computer science. The startup has joined the Y Combinator accelerator program and, according to Chan, receives backing from investors associated with companies including SpaceX and Anduril, a firm recognized for its autonomous defence technology.
“I’ve been passionate about space since childhood, and leading the biggest project of my life is a privilege,” said Chan. He added that he envisions humanity moving toward interplanetary living, including settlements on the Moon and Mars. GRU Space aims to lay the groundwork for a sustainable lunar economy, beginning with space tourism as its initial driver.
The ambitious venture comes with a hefty price tag. Early applicants must pay a non-refundable $1,000 application fee, alongside a refundable $1 million deposit. While the final cost has yet to be officially confirmed, estimates indicate that a single room could exceed $10 million. Prospective guests may also be required to provide detailed medical, personal, and financial information to secure eligibility for the journey.
GRU Space plans to begin construction tests on the Moon in 2029, with support from NASA, according to a report by Gulf News. The initial phase will see the deployment of a small inflatable structure to assess durability and environmental conditions. If successful, the company aims to develop a larger habitat within a natural lunar pit, offering enhanced stability and relatively warmer temperatures compared with the Moon’s exposed surface.
A central focus of the testing phase will be producing bricks from lunar dust to protect the structure against radiation and extreme temperature fluctuations. GRU Space aims to launch the first operational version of the hotel by 2032.
