Pokhara, 28 January | In a bold leap towards commercializing the lunar frontier, GRU Space (Galactic Resource Utilization Space), a California-based startup founded by 21-year-old entrepreneur Skyler Chan, has unveiled plans to open the world’s first hotel on the Moon by 2032. Backed by the prestigious Silicon Valley accelerator Y Combinator, the company has officially opened reservations, inviting affluent adventure seekers to secure a spot with deposits ranging from $250,000 to $1 million. While the final price for a stay is expected to exceed $10 million, the startup aims to transform the dream of off-world habitation into a tangible reality within the next decade.
What sets GRU Space apart from other lunar concepts is its innovative construction methodology known as In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU). Instead of the prohibitively expensive process of transporting heavy building materials and machinery from Earth, the company plans to deploy autonomous robotic systems that will transform lunar soil (regolith) into durable structural blocks. These blocks will be used to reinforce habitats, protecting guests from the Moon’s harsh radiation and extreme temperature fluctuations. The project is slated to begin construction in 2029, pending regulatory approval, with the first phase involving an inflatable habitat that will eventually evolve into a permanent, brick-clad structure inspired by iconic Earth architecture.
Founder Skyler Chan is far from a typical startup lead; an Air Force-trained pilot by age 16 and a UC Berkeley graduate, Chan previously led a NASA-funded 3D-printing project that successfully tested hardware in space. His broader vision, detailed in the company’s “Master Plan,” sees the lunar hotel as merely the first step toward establishing roads, warehouses, and eventually entire cities on the Moon and Mars. Chan believes that humanity is currently at an “inflection point” where becoming an interplanetary species is a viable goal. While critics highlight the immense engineering and regulatory hurdles, the strategic backing from investors associated with SpaceX and Anduril lends significant credibility to GRU Space’s mission to host the first-ever guests on the lunar surface by 2032.
