America's National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has successfully inflated new, experimental room for crew members to use in space. inflatable pod is now extension to International Space Station (ISS). It is roughly four metres long and 3.2 metres wide. It took three days to fully inflate. ISS crew members now have to wait week before entering it. NASA engineers must first ensure it is airtight. blow-up compartment is part of test on feasibility of inflatable accommodation on Moon and Mars, and of orbiting space hotels. NASA paid $17.8 million for demo capsule. It hopes this initial test will lead to bigger inflatable rooms at space station.
inflatable is world's first blow-up capsule for astronauts, cosmonauts and other space travellers. It is called Bigelow Expandable Activity Module, or BEAM for short. It is named after Bigelow Aerospace, company that designed and built it. Company founder Robert Bigelow has spent many years investing in and building hotels. He is currently working on project to build two private space stations that could serve as hotels in heavens by end of decade. He said he envisions inflatables as big part of space travel and tourism in future. pods are small enough to transport as compressed, airless units, but big enough and sturdy enough to live in, once filled with air.
