ISS Inflatable

Astronauts enter inflatable room at the International Space Station for the first time.

16:39 14 June 2016

NASA astronaut Jeff Williams have entered the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) at the International Space Station on Monday for the first time. The goal is to investigate the potential challenges and benefits of inflatable habitats for deep space exploration and commercial low-Earth orbit applications.

 

As part of the investigation, Mr Williams will take an air sample and install ducting to assist in BEAM’s air circulation. He will also manually open the tanks used for pressurisation and retrieve deployment data sensors that will detect BEAM’s reaction to radiation, micrometeoroids and orbital debris.

 

On Nasa’s website they explained: 'expandable habitats, like BEAM, are designed to take up less room when being launched but provide greater volume for living and working in space once expanded.'

 

It is hoped that the tests will provide sufficient information as to how the habitat protects against solar radiation, space debris and the temperature extremes of space.

 

The BEAM was launched on April 08 and was attached to the ISS’s Tranquility module, which was successfully inflated on May 31.