BEAM

The Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) is an experimental expandable 'inflatable' space station module developed by Bigelow Aerospace.

The Bigelow Expandable Activity Module is small and light to launch, and then expands once in orbit.

On 8th April 2016 (was to be 2015) the Bigelow BEAM Module was launched to the International Space Station (“ISS”) on the SpaceX CRS-8 ISS cargo service mission, BEAM is attached to the ISS’ Tranquility node 3 aft port, the command in 28^th May 2016 to be fully inflated. "Astronauts will enter BEAM on an occasional basis to conduct tests to validate the module's overall performance and the capability of expandable habitats. After the testing period is completed, BEAM will be released from the space station to eventually burn up harmlessly in the Earth's atmosphere," NASA

Bigelow plans to build a second BEAM module for use as an airlock on its Bigelow Commercial Space Station. The module's inflatable nature would provide room for up to three crew or tourists to spacewalk simultaneously, compared with a maximum of two that can operate outside the ISS.

BEAM

In its expanded form, BEAM measures 13.16 feet long by 10.5 feet wide (4.0 by 3.2 meters) and provides 565 cubic feet (16 cubic m) of internal volume. (In its launch configuration, the habitat was 7.09 feet long by 7.75 feet, or 2.2 by 2.4 m.)

BEAM was successfully inflated 28 May 2016

[ISS] Timelapse of Bigelow Expandable Activity Module Inflation

The Future Of The International Space Station Is Inflatable (Science Channel)

The Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) will stay attached to the International Space Station through at least 2020

Since the initial expansion, a suite of sensors installed by the crew automatically take measurements and monitor BEAM’s performance to help inform designs for future habitat systems.

Bigelow Expandable Activity Module