UCF Prepares the Future of Space Hospitality: How Rosen College Students Explore Hotels in Orbit and Zero‑Gravity Dining

Published on November 8, 2025

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UCF Prepares the Future of Space Hospitality: How Rosen College Students Explore Hotels in Orbit and Zero‑Gravity Dining. As the space tourism industry rapidly evolves, the University of Central Florida (UCF) is at the forefront of pioneering a new era of hospitality beyond Earth. Through its Rosen College of Hospitality Management, UCF is preparing students to shape the future of space tourism by studying innovative concepts like orbital hotels and zero-gravity dining experiences. With major private companies like SpaceX, Virgin Galactic, and Blue Origin leading the charge in making space travel accessible, UCF’s research and hands-on learning are designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills required to meet the unique demands of space tourists. By exploring how space tourism will change the way we think about hospitality, UCF is setting the stage for an exciting new chapter in the travel industry, where the final frontier becomes the ultimate destination for luxury and adventure.

UCF Prepares the Future of Space Hospitality: How Rosen College Students Explore Hotels in Orbit and Zero-Gravity Dining

The ability to partake in space tourism is less of a pipe dream than it used to be. Because of the advancements made by private companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin, the hospitality field is poised to expand and evolve. Hotels in space, zero-gravity dining, and other galactic experiences are all possible. The University of Central Florida (UCF), and more specifically the Rosen College of Hospitality Management, aims to be one of the pioneers in the field of “space hospitality”. Teaching students the first layer of the ‘space tourism’ hospitality field is a contribution to the evolving world of ‘space hospitality’.

As space tourism evolves from luxury niche markets to a more widely available service, the Rosen College is set to take the lead. With the initiatives in their space hospitality courses the college will create space tourism customers and ensure the students are ready with the initiatives in research and experimentation from which the future space hospitality experience will be built. These students will be the bedrock of space tourism with their innovative research.The students are learning about space hospitality tourism as part of the college’s guided involvement in space tourism. Rosen Hospitality College expands the focus of hospitality with the new frontiers of physics and the ambience of space. Rosen Hospitality College concentrates on redefining the future of space travel. The new focus areas of space tourism are orbital hotels and zero-gravity dining.

Hotels in Orbit: The Next Big Thing in Space Tourism

The students at UCF explore the excitement of strategic hospitality in space. The UCF students are evaluating the provision of strategic hospitality with the new focus area of space hotels. These customers will be able to enjoy a view of the earth from the hotel’s window which is probably the best view in the world. The UCF students are figuring out the layout of the space hotel from which customers will be able to enjoy earth from the hotel’s window which will probably be the best view in the world.

To help students gain the skills needed to confront challenges like radiation shielding, living in a gravity-less environment, and maintaining a life-sustaining atmosphere in space, UCF collaborates with industry space leaders, from engineers to astronauts to space tourism specialists. Students are also preparing the layouts for microgravity hotels and studying the materials needed to design spaces for comfort.

In the near future, luxurious orbital hotels, with zero gravity and all the services of Earth hotels, will allow space tourists to stay in them. Those hotels will provide the thrill of floating about and the comfort of Earth. Imagine relaxing in a gravity-less dining room where your food floats along with you and you can take in stunning views of the Earth from the big windows.

Dining in Space

Dealing with food in space is, without a doubt, one of the most interesting challenges in space tourism. Astronauts have always had to eat for practical reasons, and with meals packaged and prepared for convenience, it has also been a practical need. As commercial space traveling expands, dining will also become an integral part the space experience. UCF’s Rosen College is one of the first to study how food and beverage services will change in zero gravity.

At UCF, students are conducting microgravity food preperation experiments, determining what dishes to prepare for prospective space tourists. The students study the preservation of various foods and the microgravity changing tofu and food textures. The goal of these experiments is to prepare meals that are enjoyable and nutritious to eat in space.

In preparing for space tourism, the hospitality and airline industries will be the first to shift what they offer. Designing new meals, customizing containers and several other extravagant foods will accompany travelers to space to meet the new technological advancements.

The Expanding Functions of Airlines in Space Tourism

With the addition of space tourism, air travel will be revolutionized in addition to hotels and meals. Suborbital flights are already offered by airlines such as Virgin Galactic, SpaceX, and Blue Origin and will eventually be incorporated into the general tourism industry. Space tourists will likely complete the first leg of their journey on an Earth spaceport flight.

Take American Airlines, for example. With its history of adding new flights and new partners, American Airlines can expand into space tourism. American Airlines is working on integrating space tourism into its business plan and collaborating with companies that offer commercial space travels. UCF students are learning about the changes the airline industry will need to make to meet the demands of space. Students are designing flight plans, determining the physical requirements for passengers, and figuring out how to combine space tourism with air travel.

Although commercial space flights are still new and uncharted, the potential the airlines hold for this new market is incomparable. As space flights progressively become part of the transport offerings, airlines will have to change flight training, service, and management for the new passengers. Additionally, the comfort and service will need to match the standard of a premium long-haul flight, as they will need to manage the safety of passengers during take-off and landing.

The Impact on the Hospitality Industry

UCF has begun preparing students for the challenges of space tourism, and the rest of the hospitality industry has begun preparing for the new high-end travel. Hospitality industry leaders and international hoteliers like Marriott and Hilton, see opportunity in outer space. Marriott has shown interest in working with space tourism industry to bring Marriott’s luxury brand to the outer space.

New challenges arise in hospitality with the advancement of space tourism. To operate on par with resorts on the ground, space travelers will demand premium services, entertainment, gourmet meals, and even luxury accommodations. To help meet these challenges, UCF’s Rosen College is working on space hospitality projects, to understand space hotel design and developing tailored experiences for guests in the cosmos. The industry will need to adapt significantly to the inclusion of space hotels in the international tourism industry, and Marriott is at the forefront of this change.

With the help of UCF, the hospitality industry was able to adjust to the new needs of space tourists. These companies need to learn how to serve a high-end exclusive clientele. For example, providing space tourists with food and other refreshments requires unique tools and materials, and the design of the rooms will need to accommodate the unique problems of microgravity.

Future Space Tourists: Travel Tips
Space tourism is becoming a reality, so here are some travel tips for people looking to start this amazing travel adventure.

1. Get Ready for the Price. Space tourism is a very high class and expensive. Right now, suborbital flights are priced between $250,000 and $450,000. Even though these prices will drop as the industry develops, space tourism will still be very expensive for a while and will primarily be for the rich and wealthy.
2. Think about the Physical Condition. Space travel is very physically taxing. Potential space tourists must be ready for thorough medical checks. In order to undergo a suborbital flight, people must be in a healthy, physically fit condition and meet other health standards.
3. Pack Light but Smart: The space tourism industry is just getting started. The flights may not have enough space for your bags. You will have to consider what zero gravity travel will be like. Remember, everything, including your belongings, floats.
4. Understand the Flight Experience: The flight to space will not take a long time, but it will be thrilling. Suborbital flights take off vertically and give the passengers a few minutes of true weightlessness. There is no way to adequately prepare, but it is crucial to your overall enjoyment that you prepare yourself both mentally and physically.
5. Book Early and Research Options: The number of flights available for booking is going to increase. New companies offering space travel like Virgin Galactic, SpaceX, and Blue Origin will increase their flights and space travel offerings. Do your research and pick the best company to meet your travel needs.

Anticipated Upcoming Flights for Space Tourists

More airlines will eventually enter the industry and start offering space tourism flights. In the next few years, there will be more spaceports established in different locations and offering access for flights to low Earth orbit and beyond. While the current target flights are focused on traveling to the suborbital edge of space, there are proposals for longer flights, which eventually will include orbital stays in space hotels. For the interested space tourists, keeping track of evolving flight schedules, flight information, and booking requirements will be of utmost importance.

UCF Prepares the Future of Space Hospitality: How Rosen College Students Explore Hotels in Orbit and Zero‑Gravity Dining. As space tourism takes off, UCF’s Rosen College is shaping the next generation of hospitality professionals to cater to the growing demand for space travel experiences.

The Future of Space Hospitality: A Conclusion

With the newest developments in space hospitality spurred by UCF’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management, the dream of space tourism becoming a reality is on the very near horizon. While hospitality industries prepare for the new unique customers as space tourism flight developers and airlines like Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin and SpaceX take their next advancements, UCF is giving the needed education and helping students to make space tourism a new luxury travel market. The students will be the ones transforming the industry with the new pivot space hospitality developments.

The future of space hospitality is nearly here. Travelling tourists will soon be able to book space flights, stay in orbiting hotels, and eat in zero gravity. For those willing to push their travel experiences to the extreme, space tourism will be the ultimate adventure. Thankfully, the groundwork is being laid by UCF and other leaders in the field.