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{{Short description|Experimental
{{Use American English|date=January 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
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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 most 2028, when the contract can not be further extended
== History ==
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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
== 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"/>
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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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== 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 [[Aluminium|aluminium]] structure, and multiple layers of soft fabric with spacing between layers, protecting an internal restraint and bladder system;<ref name="FAQ NASA"/> it has neither windows nor internal power.<ref name="airspace201509"/> The module was expanded about a month after being attached by its [[Common Berthing Mechanism]] to the space station. It was inflated from its packed dimensions of {{cvt|2.16|m}} long and {{cvt|2.36|m}} in diameter to its pressurized dimensions of {{cvt|4.01|m}} long and {{cvt|3.23|m}} in diameter.<ref name="verge20160405"/> The module has a mass of {{cvt|1413|kg}},<ref name="nasa-overview"/> and its interior pressure is {{cvt|101.3|kPa}}, the same as inside of the ISS.<ref name="engadget20160325"/>
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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
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