USA space agency NASA has successfully inflated the first-ever expandable experimental room for astronauts at the International Space Station (ISS), marking the creation of the world’s first pump-it-up compartment for astronauts in the space. When fully expanded, the hull thickness will be approximately 0.46m (18in) and offer ballistic protection superior to that now afforded to ISS. Known as the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM), the flexible habitat slowly extended 67 inches (170 centimeters) at 4:10 pm (2010 GMT) and completed following more than seven hours.
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Williams said Saturday he could hear popping noises as pressure built up inside BEAM like popcorn in a frying pan.
NASA wants to make certain the chamber is airtight before opening the door.
It was sent up to the station last month in the unpressurized trunk of a SpaceX Dragon cargo capsule. It will remain on the station for two years, after which it will be jettisoned from the station using the Canadarm2, the robotic arm that can be operated from inside the station. This first test of a human-rated inflatable room will allow engineers to gauge how well the habitat protects against solar radiation, space debris and the temperatures of space.
The additional day it took to inflate BEAM has changed NASA’s schedule around a bit; the module needs to be leak checked for at least 80 hours and have lots of other tests done to it before astronauts can go inside. But that issue was likely just a result of BEAM’s fabric layers sticking together, NASA officials said, expressing optimism that things will get ironed out soon. If all goes well, astronaut Jeff Williams is expected to make his first entry into the module in about a week.
Bigelow Aerospace is now developing a larger space habitat, which they call the B330, created to provide a massive 11,650 cubic feet of space and meant to be the beginning of a commercial space station or manned base on Mars or the moon. This marks the first time the habitat is going through testing with astronauts.
Designed and built by privately owned Bigelow Aerospace, the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module, or BEAM, is far less costly to launch than traditional metal habitats and also may provide astronauts with better radiation protection.
BEAM is an example of NASA’s increased commitment to partnering with industry to enable the growth of the commercial use of space.
Astronaut Jeffrey Williams opened a valve and introduced 22 seconds’ worth of air into the compartment, then several more seconds in brief bursts.
The habitat was supposed to expand to the size of a small bedroom with breathable air, starting its two-year stint in space.
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Bigelow Aerospace developed the first-of-its-kind habitat as part of an $18 million contract with NASA.
