The Daily Populous Saturday January 17th, 2026 evening edition
Authored by dexerto.com and submitted by StemCellPirate

A California startup is giving would-be spacefarers the chance to reserve their vacation on the moon in advance… but it’ll cost them a pretty penny.

It’s been 53 years since humans last set foot on the moon, with another crew set to launch in early 2026. While space colonization is still widely considered a science-fiction pipe dream, one California company is getting ahead of the game in the hopes of being the first to make a profit.

Galactic Resource Utilization Space, also known as GRU Space, is a tech startup that hopes to build habitable dwellings on the surface of the moon. Their multi-phase plan includes testing inflatable structures in 2031, and eventually making ‘hotels’ by 2032.

According to their plan, these hotels would be built on Earth and delivered by a heavy lander, and would be suitable to house up to four people for multi-day stays.

“Designed to operate for 10 years, the hotel offers views of the lunar landscape and Earth, along with envisioned experiences such as surface experiences including Moonwalks, driving, golfing, and other activities,” their website reads.

GRU Space A 3D model of one of Gru’s proposed lunar ‘hotels.’

Tech startup offering lunar vacations for $1M fee

Those interested in being one of the first humans to vacation on the moon will have to be rich enough to reserve their spot. GRU is taking minimal deposits of $250K up to $1M, depending on which experience they choose. While full pricing has yet to be decided on, GRU says it could exceed $10M.

It isn’t enough to hand over the cash, though; prospective astronauts will also have to submit an application, and, once chosen, enter a ‘private auction’ with invitations “tied to specific mission roles and lunar stays.”

“Humans cannot expand beyond Earth until we solve habitation on the Moon,” their site says. “When we solve off-world habitation, this is the ‘Promethean moment’ that will enable billions of human lives to be born on the Moon, Mars, and beyond.”

GRU Space A rendering of concept art for one of GRU’s lunar hotels.

Eventually, GRU Space hopes to create larger modular inflatable structures from “lunar material” that will attach together to form ten-person abodes.

“As payload costs drop and launch cadence improves, this supports a permanent lunar presence and opens the path to similar destinations on Mars,” they explained, echoing plans like Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk’s dream to one day colonize Mars, extending human settlements further into space.

DotAccomplished5484 on January 17th, 2026 at 14:08 UTC »

I wish that I had thought of this.

wastedmytwenties on January 17th, 2026 at 13:48 UTC »

It must feel great to scam billionaires like this.

UnusualAir1 on January 17th, 2026 at 13:29 UTC »

Sure. Till they get you there. Then wait till you see the "fee" for air. :-)