Space Hotel Pictures: Russian Firm Releases Photos Of Commercial Space Station (PHOTOS, VIDEO)

Orbital Technologies, a Russian space exploration firm, has released pictures of the Commercial Space Station, a "space hotel" that it plans to open for service in 2016.

Reuters reports that The Commercial Space Station, or CSS as it's 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.

(PHOTOS AND VIDEO BELOW)

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 the Commercial Space Station's 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? Nearly $1 million, Dvice.com notes, taking into account the $800,000 round-trip airfare (spacefare?) 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."

Orbital Technologies isn't the only private company betting on space tourism. Virgin Galactic has already booked 430 "astronauts" who have lined up to pay $200,000 to experience a few minutes of weightlessness.

LOOK: Pictures of the Commercial Space Station:

WATCH: Animation of the Commercial Space Station from Orbital Technologies:

Comments

[DAE]

10:19 PM on 08/30/2011

Great idea. Chinese astronauts can use it on their way to the moon.

[DOHC Holiday]

07:01 PM on 08/25/2011

Space Hotel, on a lonely highway,
Space Hotel, life don't work out my way...

[Chevalier Dupin]

10:41 AM on 08/23/2011

Hotel for 2? This is pathetic...

[Ezio]

09:05 AM on 08/23/2011

I hope my grandkids will be able to go to space when they are my age.

[Russ1962]

08:52 AM on 08/23/2011

Hopefully it's just the beginning.
Since it really is the only way to open up the system and ensure the survival of Earth.
The next phase needs to be opening Earth orbit up to space industry with the first being the generation of electricity from space. Solar power is about 1 1/2 times stronger than on Earth and the sun shines 24 hours a day. Once a space station is installed it will be there forever. There are no Tsunamis or earthquakes in space. No erosion, no clouds, No environments to destroy, no air or water to pollute. I bet the people of Japan will reconsider Nuclear power after Fukushima.

I'd like to hear from people who say things like: We don't need it (yes we do), It's to expensive (no it's not), It can't be done (yes it can), We need to take care of the problems on Earth first (This is how), There is no big rush (yes there is), We are just going to despoil space like we did Earth (It's impossible).

I believe space exploration and utilization is the single most important activity of mankind. All of our exploration and invention have brought us to this point. Do we summon the courage to get up there in a meaningful way, or do we blink?

[crayola 08b]

08:29 AM on 08/23/2011

i never considered myself claustrophobic until i saw those pictures. just imagining being stuck in that tin can for days with no way to get out almost makes me hyperventilate.

[madisonhack]

07:22 AM on 08/23/2011

Is it possible to get a room with an ocean view? I think that would be nice.

[SolarPowerGuy]

04:55 AM on 08/23/2011

OK, so I've looked through the photos of this space hotel, and... no honeymoon suite? Seriously?

How do they expect the millionaires to re-enact their favorite scene from _Moonraker_? In front of the other five hotel guests?

[marperl]

10:42 PM on 08/22/2011

Cuisine is important. They'll need to go beyond borscht, dumplings, and vodka. I recommend adding a food truck to the design. That was a suggestion I made in a posting earlier this year for the International Space Station, which is also not known for its food. (If you are interested, the food truck entry is at Thinking Out Loud, http://marperl.blogspot.com/2011/03/food-truck-to-link-to-space-station.html )

[LMPE]

09:11 PM on 08/22/2011

Just seven guests? If you wanna attract business, you gotta make it big enough for at least a hundred people!

[dnno1]

06:54 PM on 08/22/2011

That's nice and all, but the question is what types of activities are you going to offer the vacationer to go along with that?

[Lahonda]

09:23 PM on 08/22/2011

Weightless sex, science experiments, photography, projectile vomiting and weightless sex?

[Robert Fanney]

06:25 PM on 08/22/2011

Pretty cool. I prefer NASA, though.

[Air Vice Marshal Park]

12:03 AM on 08/23/2011

Unfortunately, NASA has no way to get there and back.

[gregory57]

06:10 PM on 08/22/2011

I'm gonna book a week at the space hotel, just as soon as my skycar gets delivered. Can't wait!

[JerseyExit4]

05:01 PM on 08/22/2011

Excuse Me!

Here's an American company that's already on it called Bigelow Aerospace

http://www.bigelowaerospace.com/

[abuckley23]

04:55 PM on 08/22/2011

I dunno...that looks nothing like the jetsons!!