Beijing is building

a new mega-airport at a cost of $25 billion.

It’s a big day because … 1

China is marking its national day by opening Beijing’s new $25b mega-airport. The starfish-shaped terminal covers a million square metres. Arrivals and departures have two floors each at the terminal, which splits into six arms. Security checks, using infra-red temperature gauges, facial recognition and radioactive sensors, are claimed to take only 3-4 seconds rather than 5-7 minutes. Green credentials include a solar farm and total rainwater recycling. An underground rail station links the terminal to high-speed cross-country trains and the Beijing metro. There are four runways with plans for seven. By 2025, 72m passengers will travel through the airport on about 630,000 flights a year; eventually this will rise to 100m.

It’s a big day because … 2

California’s Gateway Foundation is beginning construction of the Von Braun Station, a cruise shipstyle hotel that will float among the stars. The aim is to get the hotel off the ground by 2025 and make it ready for travel by 2027. Designer Tim Alatorre says it will sleep 352 people. Onboard, there’ll be warm suites with carpets and stylish monochrome touches, and chic bars with stargazing views. It’s named for Wernher von Braun, the engineer who pioneered rocket technology in Nazi Germany and the US, because it’s based on designs he sketched 60 years ago.

Fellow travellers

Also planning to propel people into space are Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic, Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin companies. Earlier this year US space tech start-up Orion Span released plans for a luxury space hotel called Aurora Station, which it hopes to launch in 2022. A stay will cost an eyewatering NZ$15m. Branson’s Virgin Galactic plans to launch passengers into sub-orbital space for NZ$395,000 a head.

Hang ten

Got some time to kill at an Aussie airport? Beginning this summer, URBNSURF is opening Australia’s first artificial surf park a couple of kilometres from Melbourne Airport terminal. The 2ha wave pool — about the same size as the MCG — will pump out 1000 waves an hour. It will accommodate up to 84 surfers, from beginners to professionas, with everything from 2m-high barrelling waves to kneehigh rollers. Further north, Brisbane Airport is set to become revhead heaven when a $300m Auto Mall opens next to the international terminal in 2021. Wannabe race-drivers will be able to burn rubber at up to 240km/h on a 2.3km track designed by fivetime V8 Supercars champion Mark Skaife.