In 2012, during the earlier days of commercial space travel and back when magazines still seemed important to some people, Virgin Galactic was thought to be a major space race player. And so they teamed up with another player to imagine a way to make money in space by shooting beautiful women into orbit.
Virgin and the then still-relevant Playboy Magazine thought up ideas for an orbital version of Playboy’s infamous Grotto and then had artist Thomas Tenery turn them into concept art. Here’s what they came up with…
Playboy’s orbital space station was intended as more than just a place for beautiful women to hang out. The plans include a restaurant, a zero-gravity dance club, human roulette, and, of course, suites where guests could stay and enjoy some privacy.
The very theoretical space station would use spin to create gravity in key areas so your food won’t float off your plate while you eat in the restaurant while allowing for zero-G fun in other areas of the construct.
Unfortunately, Richard Branson and Virgin Galactic’s attempts to conquer space have long since been outstripped by rivals like SpaceX and Blue Origin. Meanwhile, most magazines are out of business or on their way out of business. That’s especially true of Playboy which cut ties with Hugh Heffner and has sold off the mansion.
Dr. Thomas Hughes is a UK-based scientist and science communicator who makes complex topics accessible to readers. His articles explore breakthroughs in various scientific disciplines, from space exploration to cutting-edge research.
