The Galactic Suite Space Resort is reported to be on schedule and expected to launch its first guests into space in 2012. Guests would pay roughly $4.4 million for a three night stay at the space resort and an eight week training program on an island. The Virgin Galactic, a space touring company, would launch four lucky guests and two astronaut pilots from a spaceport in New Mexico into the sky to single pod, where the visitors would land alone and not be met up with staff. Each ride would cost each passenger roughly $200,000.

Once at the Galactic Suite, the guests would be harnessed in a velcro suit so they could shift around their rooms by adhering to the velcro walls. The guests will be able to see the sun rise 15 times in 24 hours and circumnavigate around the globe every hour and 20 minutes.

This multi billion dollar project that began in 2007 has 43 confirmed, reserved seats for guests and over 200 interested, prospective guests.

Xavier Claramunt,Galactic Suite Ltd’s CEO and former aerospace engineer, claimed “It’s very normal to think that your children, possibly within 15 years, could spend a weekend in space.”

Imagine, taking a weekend trip into outer space or a honeymoon with the immense moon in plain view. Floating amongst the million stars and feeling weightless, looking down at the Earth would truly be a one in a million opportunity. However, I do have my doubts about this new project.

Although my mind may have been influenced by the fictitious plots of many sci-fi movies, I fear that people or the spacecraft would bring back a harmful bacteria or a microorganism that is not indigenous to our Earth. Sure, countless astronauts and space crafts have traveled to space and back without bringing harmful diseases but I still worry. It’s not like there are no organisms living in space. Water bears occupy space and have survived without difficulty in space. Perhaps it’s the ever advancing technology that our society is advancing with. I never thought space resorts, let alone space travel, would be available to the general public, at least in my lifetime. Perhaps it’s because I believe and know that our astronauts and space shuttles have only scoured the very tip of the iceberg. I don’t believe that people should be sent up to space without a definite knowledge about harmful germs or organisms-it’s against public safety.

2012 is just next year and humans, maybe our neighbors, will be atmospheres away, flying past stars and defying gravity. Perhaps the end of the world is coming after all…in the form of a small, invasive, powerful microorganism from outer space. People will just have to wait to find out.