Next week, a rather exciting development is leaving to take place on the International Space Station (ISS). For the first time, NASA is going to check the viability of an inflatable, expandable module, a derivative of which may one day be used for missions to deep space, including to Mars.
The Bigelow Expandable Activity Module, or BEAM, has been urbanized under contract by the Las Vegas-based private company Bigelow Aerospace. Back in 2006 and 2007, they first tested that the technology works with their unmanned Genesis 1 and 2 habitats in Earth orbit. Now, that equal technology will be employed on the ISS.
BEAM will be launched in the trunk (back) section of SpaceX’s upcoming Dragon -flight on April 8, 2016. The module is launched in a compact form, about four times smaller than its final volume, measuring 2.4 meters (7.75 feet) crossways and 1.7 meters (5.7 feet) long. Its final size will be 3.2 by 3.7 meters (10.5 by 12 feet), with an interior- volume of 16 cubic meters (565 cubic feet).
“We’re fortunate to have the space position to demonstrate potential habitation capabilities like BEAM,” said Jason Crusan, director of Advanced Exploration Systems at NASA, in a statement earlier this month. “Station provide us with a long-duration microgravity platform with constant crew access to evaluate systems and technologies we are considering for future missions farther into deep- space.”
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