A California startup is offering future space tourists the chance to lock in a vacation on the Moon — at a steep price.
More than five decades after humans last walked on the lunar surface, and with new missions planned for the coming years, commercial moon travel is edging closer to reality. While permanent space settlement is still largely theoretical, one company is already positioning itself to monetize it.
GRU Space, short for Galactic Resource Utilization Space, plans to build habitable structures on the Moon. Its roadmap includes testing inflatable habitats around 2031, followed by small lunar “hotels” by 2032.
The proposed hotels would be constructed on Earth, delivered to the Moon by heavy landers, and designed to host up to four guests for multi-day stays. According to the company, the structures would operate for up to a decade and offer views of both the Moon and Earth, along with activities such as surface walks and vehicle excursions.
Early access won’t come cheap. Interested customers must place deposits ranging from $250,000 to $1 million, with total costs potentially exceeding $10 million. Beyond the price tag, applicants must also go through a selection process and participate in a private auction tied to specific missions and stay options.
GRU Space says its long-term goal is to enable permanent off-world living, eventually expanding its habitats into larger, modular structures made partly from lunar materials. The vision mirrors broader ambitions across the space industry, including long-term colonization ideas championed by figures like Elon Musk and companies such as SpaceX.