Guests at the Aurora Station will be treated to zero gravity thrills and stunning views of Earth - for just $9.5 million (£6.7m).

Announced during the Space 2.0 summit in San Jose, California, earlier this month, the ambitious project plans to allow six people - including two crew members - the opportunity to enjoy first-class accommodation above Earth as part of a 12-day odyssey among the stars.

Frank Bunger, chief executive officer and founder of developer Orion Span, said the hotel would open in 2021 and host its first guests the following year.

“Upon launch, Aurora Station goes into service immediately, bringing travellers into space quicker and at a lower price point than ever seen before, while still providing an unforgettable experience,” he said.

“Orion Span has additionally taken what was historically a 24-month training regimen to prepare travellers to visit a space station and streamlined it to three months, at a fraction of the cost. Our goal is to make space accessible to all, by continuing to drive greater value at lower cost.”

Bunger claims the modular nature of the station will provide versatility and opportunities for other activities beyond tourism, including in-space manufacturing and zero gravity research. Aurora will also be available to space agencies for charter, with customers only paying for the time they use.

“Our architecture is such that we can easily add capacity, enabling us to grow with market demand like a city growing skyward on Earth,” said Bunger. “We will later sell dedicated modules as the world’s first condominiums in space. Future Aurora owners can live in, visit, or sublease their space condo.”

Orion Span has since revealed that four months of reservations at Aurora Station were sold out just 72 hours after the announcement.