Beam inflatable module secured on the ISS

A new module has appeared on the International Space Station. Today, using the Canadarm2 manipulator, the Mission Control Center operators in Houston removed the inflatable Bigelow Exapandable Activity Module (BEAM) from the docked Dragon cargo ship, and then the station crew successfully secured it to the docking module of the Tranquility module. The installation was completed at 12:36 Moscow time.

The live broadcast took place on NASA.tv channel.


The docked module.

Inflate the module to its full volume of 16 cubic meters and a diameter of 3.2 meters will be approximately May 25-26. After that, he will sometimes be visited by astronauts, the first visit is scheduled for early June.

In orbit, the module will be checked for reliability, it will remain docked for two years. Now no one will live in it, but in the future they can build entire hotels made of such modules for space tourists in orbit .



To use inflatable residential modules, theoretically, can and on the ISS. Their main advantage over conventional ones is less weight and volume in a deflated state, that is, they are much easier and cheaper to put into orbit.

The company Bigelow Aerospace, under a contract with NASA, received funding of $ 17.4 million, and is currently developing the next-generation B330 module .



It should be put into orbit in 2020 by the United Launch Alliance rocket. It will either be docked to the ISS, or placed in an autonomous position.

B330 is a much larger module with a volume of 330 cubic meters, capable of receiving up to six astronauts for a long time. He is also equipped for laboratory research. The B330 is designed in such a way that several such modules are interconnected.