Bigelow Expandable Activity Module
The Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) is an experimental expandable 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 extended any further. It arrived at the ISS on 10 April 2016, was berthed to the station on 16 April 2016, and was expanded and pressurized on 28 May 2016. Although originally planned to be a two year test, it has exceeded expectations and is used as additional cargo storage. The module is under ownership of NASA after Bigelow Aerospace suspended operations in 2021.
Full-scale mock-up of BEAM at Johnson Space Center | |
| Module statistics | |
|---|---|
| COSPAR ID | 2016-024A |
| Launch date | 8 April 2016, 20:43:31 UTC |
| Launch vehicle | Falcon 9 Full Thrust (SpaceX CRS-8) |
| Berthed | 16 April 2016, 09:36 UTC Tranquility aft |
| Unberthed | 2028 (planned) |
| Mass | 1,413 kg (3,115 lb) |
| Length | 4.01 m (13.2 ft) |
| Diameter | 3.23 m (10.6 ft) |
| Pressurised volume | 16.0 m3 (570 cu ft) |
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