Bigelow Expandable Activity Module, Bigelow Aerospace, LLC, North Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

BEAM - Bigelow Expandable Activity Module was berthed to the Tranquility node of the International Space Station on 16 April 2016, at 09:36 UTC. BEAM is an experimental expandable capsule that docks with ISS and inflates to roughly 13 feet long and 10.5 feet in diameter to provide a habitable volume.

Click to expand...

To coincide with the expansion of the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM), a technology demonstration for the International Space Station, here is a simple and fun activity called ‘origaBEAMi’ to enable you to build your own miniature BEAM module that you will be able to expand on your own -- all simply by a series of folds of the paper model provided.

Click to expand...

NASA mission control put a stop on deployment operations of the Bigelow Expandable Crew Activity Module (BEAM) after technical issues on May 26, 2016. NASA astronaut Jeff Williams was handling the deployment duties on the ISS. They may go for a second attempt on May 27th.

Click to expand...

Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) did not fully expand on the first attempt, on 26 May 2016. NASA and Bigelow Aerospace are working to understand the causes. BEAM is an experimental expandable capsule that will remain attached to the Tranquility node of the International Space Station for two years.

Click to expand...

Status of Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) explained by Jason Crusan, Director, Advanced Exploration Systems, NASA, on 27 May 2016. Images from BEAM deployment on the International Space Station, on 26 May 2016.

Click to expand...

At the International Space Station, the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) was expanded to its full volumetric size May 28 through the introduction of air by the Expedition 47 crew onboard the station. BEAM, which was launched on a SpaceX/Dragon cargo craft April 8 and installed on the aft port of the Tranquility module April 16, is the first expandable component to be attached to the station and a prototype of structures that may be used in the future for habitats associated with deep space exploration. Measuring 11.6 x 10.5 feet, BEAM is expected to remain attached to the station for two years with crew members making occasional visits inside to check its systems.

Click to expand...

Time-lapse of Bigelow Expandable Activity Module expansion from start to finish to its full expanded, pressurized volume, on 28 May 2016. BEAM is an experimental expandable capsule that will remain attached to the Tranquility node of the International Space Station for two years.

Click to expand...

The hatch to the inflatable module was opened at 4:47am EST on June 6, 2016. NASA astronaut Jeff Williams wore a mask and a headlamp for safety precautions. The temperature inside the module was a crisp 44 F, as expected.

Click to expand...

Imagine living in a spaceship that arrives in space folded up before expanding…businessman Robert Bigelow’s dream is a lot closer to reality now that BEAM, the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module, is expanded and attached to the International Space Station. Over the next two years, BEAM will undergo a series of tests to validate the overall performance of expandable habitats where crews could live and work. BEAM is an example of NASA partnering with industry to enable the growth of the commercial use of space.

Click to expand...

The mission of the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) on the International Space Station has been, well, expanded. After more than a year and a half on orbit providing performance data on expandable habitat technologies, NASA and Bigelow Aerospace have reached agreement to extend the life of the privately-owned module. For a minimum of three more years, BEAM will be a more operational element of the station used in crew activities and on board storage, allowing time to gather more data on the technology’s structural integrity, thermal stability, and resistance to space debris, radiation and microbial growth.

Click to expand...