The Final Solution: The Marriott International Space Station

 SpaceX 

This would have been a good time to join the space station for one of those extended stays that tests the limits of the human being’s ability to endure isolation. Everyone else social distancing back down on earth is inadvertently participating in a similar experiment with no payoffs. Just think of spinning in outer space with an addictive Netflix series like Fauda for company. With the comorbidities of racial inequality and coronavirus creating a perfect storm, it might even start to feel cozy up in the station. In addition, perhaps the orbiting traveler will even write a novel in his or her spare time, say with a transfixingly original title like Social Distancing. The Russian Cosmonaut Valery Polyakov chalked up 438 days in the Mir space craft from January l994 to March l995. With all the free time on one’s hands, a spacecraft would make a great writer’s retreat and one where you won’t have to worry about masks, gloves and Purell since there are no supermarket trips to make. Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic and Elon Musk’s SpaceX were both partially founded to cater to the intergalactic blue stocking crowd. While the travel industry might be moribund with many flights canceled and the cruise business dead in the water, what could be a better bet for than Marriott or Sheraton than starting a chain of orbiting space stations for those who want be “far from the madding crowd?”