# Bigelow Expandable Activity Module

> experimental expandable space station module

**Wikidata**: [Q3450175](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3450175)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bigelow_Expandable_Activity_Module)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/bigelow-expandable-activity-module

## Summary
The Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) is an experimental expandable space station module developed by Bigelow Aerospace and funded by NASA. Attached to the International Space Station (ISS), it serves as a technology demonstrator to test and validate expandable habitat structures. Its primary purpose is to gather performance data in the space environment, informing designs for future deep-space habitats.

## Key Facts
- **Launch Date:** April 8, 2016
- **Classification:** Experimental space station module, inflatable space habitat
- **Developer:** Bigelow Aerospace
- **Funder:** National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
- **Launch Vehicle:** Falcon 9 Full Thrust
- **Location:** Attached to the Tranquility module of the US Orbital Segment on the International Space Station since April 16, 2016.
- **Mass:** 1,413 kg (3,115 lbs)
- **Expanded Volume:** 16 cubic meters
- **Expanded Dimensions:** 4.01 meters in length and 3.23 meters in diameter
- **Contract Cost:** $17,865,903 (2012 fixed-price contract)

## FAQs
### Q: What is the purpose of the BEAM module?
A: BEAM is an experimental module designed to test the viability of expandable habitats in space. It allows researchers to measure the module's performance and protection against solar radiation, space debris, and extreme temperatures over a long duration.

### Q: Who built and owns the BEAM?
A: BEAM was developed and initially owned by Bigelow Aerospace under a contract with NASA. In December 2021, ownership of the module was transferred to NASA's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center.

### Q: How did BEAM get to the International Space Station?
A: BEAM was launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 Full Thrust rocket on April 8, 2016. It was transported in the unpressurized trunk of a Dragon spacecraft as part of the SpaceX CRS-8 commercial resupply mission.

## Why It Matters
The Bigelow Expandable Activity Module is significant because it is a critical technology pathfinder for future human space exploration. Traditional space habitats are limited by the size of the rocket fairings they launch in, making them rigid, heavy, and expensive. Expandable, or inflatable, habitats like BEAM offer a revolutionary alternative.

BEAM demonstrates the ability to launch a large-volume living space in a compressed, compact form, dramatically reducing launch mass and costs. Once in orbit, it expands to its full size, providing a spacious environment for astronauts. The data gathered from BEAM on radiation shielding, thermal stability, and durability against micrometeoroid impacts is essential for designing safe and reliable habitats for long-duration missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. It represents a key step in developing the sustainable, cost-effective infrastructure needed for humanity's expansion into the solar system.

## Notable For
- **First Expandable Module on the ISS:** It is the first privately built expandable habitat to be installed and tested on the International Space Station.
- **Technology Demonstration:** Its primary mission is to serve as a long-duration testbed, proving the safety and durability of soft-goods inflatable structures in the harsh environment of space.
- **Compact Launch Volume:** The module was launched in a highly compressed state and was robotically expanded after being attached to the station, showcasing a key advantage of expandable technology for future missions.
- **Unique Ownership Transfer:** The module was developed under a fixed-price contract and was initially owned by Bigelow Aerospace before ownership was formally transferred to NASA in 2021.

## Body
### Development and Funding
The Bigelow Expandable Activity Module was developed by the American company Bigelow Aerospace. The project was funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) through a fixed-price contract valued at $17,865,903, awarded on December 20, 2012. The construction of the module took place between 2012 and 2015.

### Mission and Deployment
BEAM's journey to space began on April 8, 2016, when it launched from Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 40. It was a key payload of the SpaceX CRS-8 mission, carried by a Falcon 9 Full Thrust rocket (booster B1021).
- **Launch:** April 8, 2016
- **Installation:** Attached to the aft port of the Tranquility module on the ISS on April 16, 2016.
- **Expansion:** Fully expanded to its pressurized volume on May 28, 2016.

The module is part of the US Orbital Segment of the ISS and serves as an experimental testbed. Astronauts enter the module periodically to collect data and perform inspections.

### Specifications
- **Mass:** 1,413 kg
- **Expanded Length:** 4.01 meters
- **Expanded Diameter:** 3.23 meters
- **Pressurized Volume:** 16 cubic meters
- **Country of Origin:** United States

### Ownership
Initially owned by its developer, Bigelow Aerospace, the module's ownership was transferred to NASA's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in December 2021. This allows NASA to continue using the module for long-term testing and as a storage space on the ISS.

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## References

1. [Source](https://sam.gov/opp/220ac7db7bef4b4085636f3cd65dc5c2/view)
2. [Source](https://danielmarin.naukas.com/2016/06/01/el-inflado-de-beam-y-los-otros-modulos-hinchables-de-la-iss/)
3. [Source](https://www.space.com/32485-beam-bigelow-expandable-activity-module-pictures.html)
4. Jonathan's Space Report
5. [Source](http://spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=43106)
6. [Source](https://www.nasa.gov/content/new-expandable-addition-on-space-station-to-gather-critical-data-for-future-space-habitat)
7. [Source](https://eoportal.org/web/eoportal/satellite-missions/i/iss-beam)
8. [Source](https://www.theverge.com/2016/4/5/11355852/nasa-beam-spacex-iss-future-space-tourism)
9. [Source](https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/spacex_crs-8_mission_overview.pdf)
10. [Source](https://spaceflightnow.com/2016/04/16/watch-live-expandable-room-to-be-installed-on-space-station-saturday/)
11. [Source](https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2016/04/beam-iss-installation-dragon-handover/)
12. Quora