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{{Short description|Experimental
{{Use American English|date=January 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
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| module = Bigelow Expandable Activity Module
| names_list = BEAM
| module_image =
| module_image_caption = Full-scale mock-up of BEAM at Johnson Space Center
| module_image_size = 300px
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| mission_duration = {{time interval|8 April 2016|show=ymd}} ''(in progress)''
| launch = 8 April 2016, 20:43:31 [[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]]
| launch_vehicle = [[Falcon 9 Full Thrust]]<br/>([[SpaceX CRS-8]])
| launch_site = [[Cape Canaveral Space Force Station|CCAFS]], [[Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 40|SLC-40]]
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| berthed = 16 April 2016, 09:36 UTC <ref name="ISS tweet 20160416"/><br/>''[[Tranquility (ISS module)|Tranquility]]'' aft
| unberthed = 2028 (planned)
|
| reentry =
| mass = {{cvt|1413|kg}} <ref name="nasa-overview"/>
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| configuration_caption =
| configuration_size = 300px
}}
The '''Bigelow Expandable Activity Module''' ('''BEAM''') is an experimental [[inflatable space habitat|expandable]] [[International Space Station#Pressurised modules|space station module]] developed by [[Bigelow Aerospace]], under contract to NASA, for testing as a temporary module on the [[International Space Station]] (ISS) from 2016 to at least 2020. It arrived at the ISS on 10 April 2016,<ref name="space20160410"/> was berthed to the station on 16 April 2016, and was expanded and pressurized on 28 May 2016.▼
▲The '''Bigelow Expandable Activity Module''' ('''BEAM''') is an experimental [[inflatable space habitat|expandable]] [[International Space Station#Pressurised modules|space station module]] developed by [[Bigelow Aerospace]], under contract to NASA, for testing as a temporary module on the [[International Space Station]] (ISS) from 2016 to at
== History ==
NASA originally considered the idea of inflatable habitats in the 1960s, and developed the [[TransHab]] inflatable module concept in the late 1990s. The TransHab project was canceled by Congress in 2000,<ref name="nasa2000"/><ref name="nasa2000conf"/><ref name="spaceref2261"/> and Bigelow Aerospace purchased the rights to the patents developed by NASA to pursue private space station designs.<ref name="Seedhouse2014-8"/> In 2006 and 2007, Bigelow launched two demonstration modules to Earth orbit, [[Genesis I]] and [[Genesis II (space habitat)|Genesis II]].<ref name="space20060712"/><ref name="nature20070705"/>
NASA re-initiated analysis of expandable module technology for a variety of potential missions beginning in early 2010.<ref name="ns20100303"/><ref name="Sang2010"/> Various options were considered, including procurement from commercial provider Bigelow Aerospace, for providing what in 2010 was proposed to be a [[toroid|torus-shaped]] storage module for the [[International Space Station]]. One application of the toroidal BEAM design was as a [[centrifuge]] demo preceding further developments of the NASA [[Nautilus-X]] multi-mission exploration concept vehicle.<ref name="hobbyspace-nautilusX"/> In January 2011, Bigelow projected that the BEAM module could be built and made flight-ready 24 months after a build contract was secured.<ref name="sdc20110126"/>
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[[File:Bigelow Expandable Activity Module at Bigelow’s facility in Las Vegas.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|left|Completed BEAM flight unit at the Bigelow Aerospace facility in [[North Las Vegas, Nevada]]]]
On 20 December 2012, NASA awarded Bigelow Aerospace a US$17.8 million contract to construct the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) under NASA's Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) Program.<ref name="spaceref20130111"/><ref name="NASAannouncement"/> [[Sierra Nevada Corporation]] built the US$2 million [[Common Berthing Mechanism]] under a 16-month firm-fixed-price contract awarded in May 2013.<ref name="sn20130612"/> NASA plans made public in mid-2013 called for a 2015 delivery of the module to the ISS.<ref name=sn20130612/>
In 2013
During a press event on 12 March 2015, at the Bigelow Aerospace facility in [[North Las Vegas, Nevada]], the completed ISS flight unit, compacted and with two [[Mobile Servicing System|Canadarm2]] grapple fixtures attached, was displayed for the media.<ref name="BEAMPress20150312"/>
In December 2021, Bigelow transferred ownership of BEAM to NASA's Johnson Space Center.<ref>{{Cite web|date=December 10, 2021|title=Engineering Services for the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM)|url=https://sam.gov/opp/220ac7db7bef4b4085636f3cd65dc5c2/view|url-status=live|access-date=2021-12-12|website=sam.gov|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211212192929/https://sam.gov/opp/220ac7db7bef4b4085636f3cd65dc5c2/view |archive-date=12 December 2021 }}</ref> With the cessation of Bigelow Aerospace activities, NASA contracted [[ATA Engineering]], a former Bigelow subcontractor, for engineering support on the BEAM.<ref name=SpaceNews-20220121> {{cite news |url= https://spacenews.com/bigelow-aerospace-transfers-beam-space-station-module-to-nasa/ |title= Bigelow Aerospace transfers BEAM space station module to NASA |author= Jeff Foust |date= 21 January 2022 |publisher= Space News }} </ref>
== Deployment and status ==
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In early 2015, BEAM was scheduled for deployment on the next available ISS transport vehicle, [[SpaceX CRS-8]], which was scheduled for launch in September 2015. Due to a rocket failure during the SpaceX CRS-7 launch in June 2015, the delivery of BEAM was delayed.<ref name="nasasf20150907"/><ref name="launchlog"/> The successful launch of SpaceX CRS-8 took place on 8 April 2016,<ref name="nasasf20160408"/> and the Dragon cargo vehicle was berthed to the [[nadir]] port of ''[[Harmony (ISS module)|Harmony]]'' node on 10 April 2016.<ref name="unitoday20160411"/> On 16 April 2016, British astronaut [[Tim Peake]] extracted BEAM from Dragon's trunk using Canadarm2, and installed it on the aft port of ''[[Tranquility (ISS module)|Tranquility]]'' node.<ref name="sfnow20160416"/>
The first attempt at module inflation took place on 26 May 2016, and was suspended after higher-than-expected air pressure inside BEAM was detected with minimal expansion of the module.<ref name="space20160527"/> The attempt was terminated after two hours.<ref name="verge20160527"/> The failure to expand and unfold may be the result of the unanticipated 10-month delay in module inflation, which may have caused the fabric layers to stick together.<ref name="space20160527"/> The module was expanded on 28 May 2016 over the course of seven hours, with air being injected 25 times for a total of 2 minutes 27 seconds.<ref name="nasa20160528"/> Its length was extended {{cvt|170|cm}} from its stowed configuration, {{cvt|2.5|cm}} less than expected.<ref name="spacepol20160528"/> After expansion was complete, air tanks aboard BEAM were opened to equalize air pressure in the module with that of the ISS.<ref name="spacenews20160528"/> The module was originally to be monitored for two years.<ref name="spacepol20160528"/><ref name="spacenews20160528"/>
{{multiple image |direction=vertical |align=right
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}}
On 6 June 2016, astronaut [[Jeffrey Williams (astronaut)|Jeff Williams]] and cosmonaut [[Oleg Skripochka]] opened the hatch to BEAM and entered to collect an air sample, download expansion data from sensors, and install monitoring equipment. The hatch to BEAM was re-sealed on 8 June 2016 after three days of tests.<ref name="nasa20160606"/><ref name="nasa20160608"/> A second round of tests took place on 29 September 2016
NASA noted in May 2017 that, after spending one year in space, the BEAM instrumentation had recorded "a few probable micrometeoroid debris impacts" but that the module's protective layers had resisted penetration. Early results from monitors inside the module have shown that [[galactic cosmic radiation]] levels are comparable to those in the rest of the space station. Further testing will try to characterize whether the inflatable structure is any more resilient to radiation than traditional metal modules.<ref name="nasa20170526"/><ref name="arstech20170528"/>
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In July 2019, an engineering assessment certified BEAM's ability to remain attached to the station until 2028, as it has exceeded performance expectations and become a core cargo storage module on the volume-constrained station. A contract extension will be required to allow BEAM to serve its extended operational lifetime.<ref name="sn20190812"/>
With the suspension of all activities at Bigelow Aerospace, development on BEAM has ended. Engineering support passed to Bigelow subcontractor [[ATA Engineering]] in 2022, who will not continue development.<ref name=TMRO-20220126> {{cite episode |title=SpaceX's Raptor 2 is Revealed! |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DB4jcVBBOOU |series= TMRO News |publisher= TMRO |airdate= 26 January 2022 }} </ref>
== Objectives ==
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== Characteristics ==
[[File:ISS-47 BEAM installation (1).jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|right|BEAM in the process of being moved to the rear port of ''Tranquility'' in April 2016
BEAM is composed of two metal bulkheads, an [[
BEAM's internal dimensions provide {{cvt|16.0|m3}} of volume where a crew member will enter the module three to four times per year to collect sensor data, perform microbial surface sampling, conduct periodic change-out of the radiation area monitors, and inspect the general condition of the module.<ref name="lvrj20130116"/><ref name="FAQ NASA"/> The hatch to the module will otherwise remain closed.<ref name="wapo20130116"/> Its interior is described as being "a large closet with padded white walls", with various equipment and sensors attached to two central supports.<ref name="ap20130117"/>
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The flexible Kevlar-like materials of construction are proprietary.<ref name="US 7204460 B2"/><ref name="Lyle2015"/> The multiple layers of flexible fabric and closed-cell [[Vinyl polymer|vinyl polymer foam]]<ref name="Seedhouse2014-26"/> in the BEAM structural shell are expected to provide impact protection (see [[Whipple shield]]) as well as [[Radiation protection#Spacecraft and radiation protection|radiation protection]], but model calculations need to be validated by actual measurements.<ref name="FAQ NASA"/>
In a 2002 NASA study, it was suggested that materials that have high hydrogen contents, such as [[polyethylene]], can reduce primary and secondary radiation to a greater extent than metals, such as
== BCSS airlock ==
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Image:BEAM mock-up interior.jpg | Interior of BEAM mock-up
Image:BEAM development unit undergoing burst test.jpg | BEAM development unit undergoing burst test
Image:BEAM (25916886442).jpg | BEAM being loaded into SPACEX Dragon's trunk in February 2016
</gallery>
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<ref name="space20160410">{{cite news|url=http://www.space.com/32528-spacex-dragon-delivers-inflatable-room-space-station.html|title=SpaceX Dragon Arrives at Space Station, Delivers Inflatable Room Prototype |publisher=Space.com|last=Pearlman|first=Robert|date=April 10, 2016|access-date=April 11, 2016}}</ref>
<ref name="nasa2000">{{cite web|url=http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c106:H.R.1654.ENR:|title=National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2000|publisher=Library of Congress
<ref name="nasa2000conf">{{cite web|url=http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/cpquery/T?&report=hr843&dbname=106&|title=National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2000, Conference Report
<ref name="spaceref2261">{{cite web|url=http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=2261|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130202212050/http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=2261|url-status=dead|archive-date=2 February 2013|title=Letter from NASA JSC Center Director: Actions Required to Address ISS Budget Challenges|publisher=NASA via SpaceRef.com|first=George W. S.|last=Abbey|date=February 27, 2001|access-date=June 10, 2007}}</ref>
<ref name="Seedhouse2014-8">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9qigBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA8|title=Bigelow Aerospace: Colonizing Space One Module at a Time|publisher=Springer-Praxis|first=Erik |last=Seedhouse|page=8|date=2014|isbn=978-3-319-05197-0|doi=10.1007/978-3-319-05197-0}}</ref>
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<ref name="verge20160527">{{cite news|url=https://www.theverge.com/2016/5/27/11792446/nasa-beam-expansion-failed-unexpected-forces-bigelow|title=NASA's first expandable habitat failed to inflate on the ISS because of friction|publisher=The Verge|first=Arielle|last=Duhaime-Ross|date=May 27, 2016|access-date=June 2, 2016}}</ref>
<ref name="nasa20160528">{{cite news|url=https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2016/05/28/beam-expanded-to-full-size/|title=BEAM Expanded To Full Size|publisher=NASA|first=Mark|last=Garcia|date=May 28, 2016
<ref name="spacepol20160528">{{cite news|url=http://www.spacepolicyonline.com/news/beam-successfully-expanded|title=BEAM Successfully Expanded|publisher=SpacePolicyOnline.com|first=Marcia S.|last=Smith |date=May 28, 2016|access-date=June 3, 2016}}</ref>
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<ref name="US 7204460 B2">{{cite patent|url=http://www.google.com/patents/US7204460|title=Orbital debris shield|inventor=Bigelow, Robert T.|country=US|number=US 7204460 B2|status=patent|pubdate=2007-04-17 |gdate=2007-04-17|fdate=2004-06-24|pridate=2004-06-24}}.</ref>
<ref name="Lyle2015">{{cite
<ref name="Seedhouse2014-26">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9qigBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA26|title=Bigelow Aerospace: Colonizing Space One Module at a Time|publisher=Springer-Praxis|first=Erik |last=Seedhouse|page=26|date=2014|isbn=978-3-319-05197-0|doi=10.1007/978-3-319-05197-0|quote=A middle layer was a closed-cell vinyl foam for radiation protection and thermal insulation}}</ref>
<ref name="nasa-radiation">{{cite web|url=http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/spacenews/factsheets/pdfs/radiation.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041030191015/http://www.spaceflight.nasa.gov/spacenews/factsheets/pdfs/radiation.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=2004-10-30|title=Understanding Space Radiation|series=NASA Facts|publisher=NASA Johnson|date=October 2002 |access-date=April 3, 2016|id=FS-2002-10-080-JSC}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>
<ref name="newsci20021115">{{cite news|url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn3050-lightweight-radiation-proof-fabric-unveiled/|title=Lightweight radiation-proof fabric unveiled|publisher=New Scientist |first=Marina|last=Murphy|date=November 15, 2002|access-date=April 26, 2016}}</ref>
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