A little while ago the operations to connect the BEAM expandable module to the International Space Station were completed. The operation lasted about four hours during which the Canadarm2 robotic arm was used to transport BEAM from the unpressurized section of the Dragon spacecraft to the Tranquillity module. At that point, it was berthed to the Station via remote control, just like they do with the cargo spacecraft. This is only the first phase of its installation, which will proceed slowly, step by step.

Bigelow Aerospace’s BEAM (Bigelow Expandable Activity Module) expandable module arrived a few days ago aboard the Dragon and it was discussed a lot because for the first time this type of module will be tested in the real conditions of a space station. It’s a module that will be inflated and pressurized only in about a month. Eventually, its volume will be about five times the current compressed one.

It’s a small module, which fully inflated will be almost 4 meters (about 13 feet) for a diameter of about 3 meters (about 10 fett). The International Space Station crew will enter the BEAM module as in any other module but they’re expected to do it only to install the sensors that will be used for the actual test. What they need to assess under real conditions are the level of protection against solar radiation, space debris and extreme space temperatures.

The tests will continue for about two years and after their end the BEAM module will be detached to fall down into Earth’s atmosphere, where it will disintegrate. This is only a prototype but Bigelow Aerospace has already announced a partnership with United Launch Alliance (ULA) for the launches of space habitats formed by inflatable modules. In that case those will be module much larger than BEAM, the B330 which will have 330 cubic meters of internal space.

At the moment the project is very generic, meaning that the B330 modules are scheduled to be launched in orbit from 2020 using Atlas V rockets but we only know that they’ll be placed in low Earth orbit. One option is to connect a B330 module to the International Space Station but Bigelow Aerospace may also decide to create a new space station and the next step could be an orbital hotel.