As California makes strides in sustainability, the Von Braun Space Station is taking rather large steps for humankind. Exploring the great unknown does not have to mean abandoning our planet — it can mean just the opposite. In fact, this space station could be our most monumental step toward a sustainable future.
Pioneered by the Gateway Foundation, the project is named after the father of American space flight, rocket scientist, and space architect Wernher von Braun who popularized the rotating space station concept. Picture the setting from 2001: A Space Odyssey but unlike the cold-feeling contemporary interiors from the film, the Von Braun is designed to feel like home — a hotel for tourists and a research area for scientists — equipped with bedrooms, bars and restaurants brought down to earth (in a sense) by artificial gravity and natural materials.
Senior design architect for this astronomical endeavor is Tim Alatorre. The name of his Sacramento-based firm, Domum, means “coming home” in Latin. After all, coming home is a universal feeling.
