I wouldn't tell my own mother. In a 1967 address to the American Astronautical Society, hotelier Barron Hilton invited his audience to imagine moonbound tourists traveling by space ferry to a Lunar Hilton with 100 guest rooms and a dining room serving everything from reconstituted martinis to freeze-dried steaks. Hilton International Hotels is keeping Barron Hilton's moon dream alive. The Britain-based chain recently hired British architect Peter Inston to design a lunar hotel. Inston says he has been talking with NASA, university, and independent space scientists about the viability of a resort on the moon.
Skeptics point out the huge costs, complex engineering challenges, and potential safety risks.