A private space startup has begun accepting reservations for what it hopes will become the first hotel on the Moon, asking early customers to place $1 million deposits years before the structure is built. The announcement, reported by Space.com, marks one of the most ambitious commercial bets yet in the growing race toward lunar tourism.
The initiative is being led by GRU Space, founded by Berkeley graduate Skyler Chan, who envisions permanent human habitats beyond Earth. While the hotel remains conceptual, the company says the reservations are designed to fund early research into lunar construction techniques, autonomous fabrication, and off-world materials.
Unlike previous space tourism projects focused on short orbital trips, GRU Space is targeting long-duration stays on the lunar surface. The company is developing methods to 3D print structural components using simulated lunar regolith, aiming to eventually manufacture building materials directly from Moon soil to reduce launch costs.
A brick of simulated lunar material 3D printed with GRU Space’s proprietary process. (Image credit: GRU)
Chan frames the project as part of a broader shift in humanity’s trajectory toward becoming a multi-planetary species. In a statement shared alongside the announcement, he described the current era as a rare window in history where living beyond Earth could happen within the lifetime of today’s generation.
The company has not released a construction timeline, but lunar hospitality would depend on several major milestones: reliable heavy-lift transport to the Moon, pressurized habitat systems capable of surviving extreme temperature swings, radiation shielding, and sustainable life-support for extended human presence.
GRU Space says the Moon hotel would initially function more like a research outpost combined with ultra-luxury accommodation rather than a traditional tourism resort. The early reservation fee is effectively an investment tier, granting priority access to future missions once the infrastructure becomes viable.
Industry analysts note that commercial lunar development is accelerating as both government and private missions increase. Permanent habitats on the Moon are being explored globally for science, resource extraction, and as stepping stones for Mars travel. A functioning hotel would represent a symbolic and commercial leap, turning the Moon from a destination for astronauts into one for private citizens.
While the concept remains speculative and technically daunting, the willingness of companies to monetize lunar real estate signals how quickly space is shifting from exploration to early commercialization. If GRU Space succeeds, the next generation of travelers may not just look up at the Moon, but book a room on it.
