NASA's BEAM module still holding up after a year in space

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This is the future of spacecraft construction. It's the inflatable module that they are testing on the ISS (Bigelow Expandable Activity Module) and gives NASA the capability to have vastly more volume in it's crew habitat's than otherwise would be able to.



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 2018. It arrived at the ISS on April 10, 2016,[5] was berthed to the station on April 16, and was expanded and pressurized on May 28, 2016.

Bigelow plans to build a second BEAM module as an airlock for the Bigelow Commercial Space Station.



The BEAM is an experimental program in an effort to test and validate expandable habitat technology.[35] If BEAM performs favorably, it could lead to development of expandable habitation structures for future crews traveling in deep space.[36] The two-year demonstration period will: [35][37]

Demonstrate launch and deployment of a commercial inflatable module. Implement folding and packaging techniques for inflatable shell. Implement a venting system for inflatable shell during ascent to ISS.

Determine radiation protection capability of inflatable structures.

Demonstrate design performance of commercial inflatable structure like thermal, structural, mechanical durability, long term leak performance, etc.

Demonstrate safe deployment and operation of an inflatable structure in a flight mission.

At the end of BEAM's mission, the plan was to remove it from the ISS and burn up during reentry.[38] On January 18, 2017, however, Bigelow and NASA announced they were discussing the possibility of extending the on-orbit life of BEAM and using it for other purposes.[39]