NASA and aerospace technology firm Bigelow Aerospace will send and test an expandable habitat module to the International Space Station (ISS) in September.

The Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) is a 13 feet x 10 feet inflatable capsule that will be lofted to the ISS on a SpaceX resupply mission on September 2. The 3,000 pound habitat will be anchored to the ISS for two years and give the crew somewhere new to stretch their legs.

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Expandable habitats are being explored as options to dramatically increase the amount of volume available to astronauts while also enhancing protection against radiation and micrometeorites.

BEAM uses multiple layers of a special, high-tech fabric to keep the air in and micrometeorites and other space debris out. By avoiding metal, the Bigelow module is much cheaper to get into orbit than a standard capsule.

"We are fortunate to have the space station to demonstrate potential habitation capabilities like BEAM. The ISS provides us with a long-duration microgravity platform with constant crew access to evaluate systems and technologies we are considering for future missions farther into deep space," said Jason Crusan, director of Advanced Exploration Systems at NASA headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Bigelow launched its first inflatable capsule into orbit in 2006. A second was launched in 2007. They are both still in orbit, and the outer skin has survived fr longer than expected.

The BA330 is a 45 ft x 22 ft module the firm wants to use as a habitat in space and on other planets (think space hotels) and is entering production.

TagsNASA to Develop Inflatable Home for Astronauts in ISS, ISS, NASA, Astronuats, Bigelow Expandable Activity Module, Beam, inflatable capsule, Expandable habitat, International Space Station, bubble capsule