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[cameron]

Update: Done.

"BEAM Expanded To Full Size"

"BEAM Fully Expanded and Pressurized"

Time lapse:

https://twitter.com/cpamoa/status/736654277192585217

http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-052816a-beam-inflated-space-station.html




Old Post:
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Update: There will be another attempt at 9 a.m. EDT Saturday, May 28.

NASA ‏@NASA
2nd attempt expanding @BigelowSpace's Expandable Activity Module at 9am ET tomorrow: http://go.nasa.gov/1WQUXAY

Streams:
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html#public
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDh4uK9PvJU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhORZ6Ep_jE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OX9I1KyNa8M

NASA and Bigelow Aerospace will make a second attempt at 9 a.m. EDT Saturday, May 28, to expand the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM), currently attached to the International Space Station. NASA Television coverage will begin at 8:45 a.m.

During initial operations Thursday to expand BEAM, the module’s length and diameter did not increase with the increased internal pressure, as expected. Teams stood down from operations for the day and engineers depressurized the habitat Friday afternoon.

NASA astronaut Jeff Williams again will lead operations to expand the module while they are in position to work in the sunlight. Designers need daylight and video communication to closely monitor the process. After successful expansion, a series of leak checks, and other preparations, space station astronauts will enter the habitat through the station’s Tranquility module. They will re-enter the module several times a year, throughout the two-year technology demonstration, to retrieve sensor data and assess conditions inside the module.

http://www.nasa.gov/press-release/n...ations-for-bigelow-expandable-activity-module




----------------------------------------------------------
Mission Info:

The Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) is an expandable habitat technology demonstration for the International Space Station. Expandable habitats greatly decrease the amount of transport volume for future space missions. These “expandables” are lightweight and require minimal payload volume on a rocket, but expand after being deployed in space to potentially provide a comfortable area for astronauts to live and work. They also provide a varying degree of protection from solar and cosmic radiation, space debris, atomic oxygen, ultraviolet radiation and other elements of the space environment.

The journey to Mars is complex and filled with challenges that NASA and its partners are continuously working to solve. Before sending the first astronauts to the Red Planet, several rockets filled with cargo and supplies will be deployed to await the crews’ arrival. Expandable modules, which are lower-mass and lower-volume systems than metal habitats, can increase the efficiency of cargo shipments, possibly reducing the number of launches needed and overall mission costs.

This artist's concept depicts the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM), constructed by Bigelow Aerospace. Now attached to the International Space Station, BEAM will be expanded to its full size Thursday, May 26, 2016, soon after which the space station crew will begin a two-year test of the new habitat.​

The Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) will be attached to the International Space Station (ISS) to demonstrate and test a new way of designing habitat modules for space exploration. The International Space Station serves as the world's leading laboratory for conducting cutting-edge research and is the primary platform for technology development and testing in space to enable human and robotic exploration of destinations beyond low-Earth orbit, including asteroids and Mars.

BEAM will be the first human-rated expandable structure to be launched to space. It will spend two years attached to the space station, during which time crew members will enter BEAM periodically to take measurements and monitor its performance.

BEAM is also demonstrating the value of the innovative cost-sharing partnership between NASA and Bigelow Aerospace, in which Bigelow is leveraging technology NASA conceived in the 1990s and licensed to the company. NASA and Bigelow Aerospace are each benefitting from the sharing of expertise, costs, and risks to pursue mutual goals.

Mission Highlights

• BEAM is scheduled to launch on the eighth SpaceX Commercial Resupply Service mission. After being attached to the Tranquility Node using the station’s robotic Canadarm2, it will be filled with air to expand it for a two-year test period in which astronauts aboard the space station will conduct a series of tests to validate overall performance and capability of expandable habitats.
• Crews will routinely enter to take measurements and monitor its performance to help inform designs for future habitat systems. Learning how an expandable habitat performs in the thermal environment of space and how it reacts to radiation, micrometeroids, and orbital debris will provide information to address key concerns about living in the harsh environment of space.
• Following the two-year test and validation period, BEAM will be robotically jettisoned from the space station, leaving orbit to burn during its descent through Earth’s atmosphere—much like many cargo spacecraft do.
• If BEAM performs favorably, it could lead to future development of expandable habitation structures for future crews traveling in deep space.
• The BEAM is an example of NASA’s increased commitment to partnering with industry to enable the growth of the commercial use of space. The BEAM project is co-sponsored by NASA's Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) Division and Bigelow Aerospace, which pioneers innovative approaches to rapidly and affordably develop prototype systems for future human exploration missions. The BEAM demonstration supports an AES objective to develop a deep space habitat for human missions beyond Earth orbit.

Basic BEAM facts and figures:

• In its packed configuration, the module will measure approximately 8 feet in diameter.
• In its expanded configuration, BEAM’s internal dimensions provide 565 cubic feet of volume.
• BEAM’s mass is approximately 3,000 pounds.
• BEAM is composed of: two metal bulkheads, an aluminum structure, and multiple layers of soft fabric with spacing between layers, protecting an internal restraint and bladder system. It has no windows.
• BEAM will be attached to the aft section of the Tranquility Node on the International Space Station.
• BEAM’s mission duration is two years.
• BEAM is outfitted with various sensors and radiation monitors.

Other reading:
-BEAM Facts, Figures, FAQs
-Expandable Habitat Demonstration Will Test Technologies Needed for Deep Space Exploration

For funsies:
-origaBEAMi – An Origami Paper-Folding Activity to Create and Expand Your Own Miniature BEAM Module

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqHkBfT498o

Perhaps not the most exciting experiment. Expansion will take a few hours. Hold on to your butts.

 

[Volimar]

What a clever ruse to cover up the fact that the ISS is a living organism and that this is just it budding. Soon the skies will be full of sentient space stations forcing humans to do research that will benefit mankind! MWAHAHAHAHAHA

Spoiler

neat

 

[ruxtpin]

They provide a "varying degree of protection" ... lol

 

[lastplayed]

She's gone from suck to blow!

 

[Rabbi_Vole]

Rob Schneider has finally left his mark on the space program

 

[Markster]

Finally!
Inflatable modules have only been talked about since the '70s.

 

[Mindlog]

Will probably be on the road, but that would be fun to watch. Hope everything goes well.

 

[Nostremitus]

Meanwhile, inside the ISS...

 

[GulAtiCa]

Cool!

 

[MMarston]

What we're expecting

What actually happens

 

[beast786]

Will it see the mysterious possible alien structure that was being discussed few months ago?

 

[cameron]

Streams are live.

Will it see the mysterious possible alien structure that was being discussed few months ago?

No. But perhaps, in another planetary system, an advanced civilization with a crazy powerful observatory will somehow see our past Earth and the ISS orbiting it.

 

[Par Score]

That grid overlay on one of the cameras is a really neat visual aid, especially since they're pumping this bad boy up nice and slow.

edit: Though apparently not slow enough, since we're currently above the "safe pressure curve".

 

[Talyn]

This is like watching paint dry. If anyone later regrets not seeing this live, don't. The time-lapse video will be the way to watch this. I also can't believe they're using a manual valve and asking him for pressure readings. Why isn't this automated for more accurate control over the valve release duration with realtime pressure monitoring? If something goes wrong they're going to be wasting time asking for pressure readings and waiting for the response.

 

[Deleted member 13876]

Meanwhile, inside the ISS...

Space Gigolo.

 

[PaulExcellent]

When are they going to stop wasting resources on this and focus on working to make Google Ultron better?

Also holy shit space bubbles and such.

 

[Hoo-doo]

This is like watching paint dry. If anyone later regrets not seeing this live, don't. The time-lapse video will be the way to watch this. I also can't believe they're using a manual valve and asking him for pressure readings. Why isn't this automated for more accurate control over the valve release duration with realtime pressure monitoring? If something goes wrong they're going to be wasting time asking for pressure readings and waiting for the response.

What did you expect, just a big PWOOMP and voila?

 

[Talyn]

What did you expect, just a big PWOOMP and voila?

Of course not but I would have expected more automated control over this process instead of opening the valve for 1 second, reading the pressure, doing calculations at Mission Control, repeat. I can imagine astronauts doing this decades ago.

 

[Orbis]

Of course not but I would have expected more automated control over this process instead of opening the valve for 1 second, reading the pressure, doing calculations at Mission Control, repeat. I can imagine astronauts doing this decades ago.

It's untested third party hardware, they are probably wise to start off with manual operations before implementing/allowing automation of it.

 

[Pristine_Condition]

Imagine how long it would take NASA to set up a bouncy house for a kid's birthday party...

 

[Par Score]

Imagine how long it would take NASA to set up a bouncy house for a kid's birthday party...

I invite Bozo the Clown to try setting up a bouncy castle in Low Earth Orbit.

 

[Pristine_Condition]

I invite Bozo the Clown to try setting up a bouncy castle in Low Earth Orbit.

The two guys that did my neice's birthday party would've had this done in 20 minutes. But they only take cash and you have to speak a little "tex-mex" or you ain't getting shit.

....and that's a mission scrub for today. Crap-o-la.

 

[CyclopsRock]

Things like this will be pretty vital to any sort of human long distance travel - living space that can be held in farings during accent and just deployed once out of atmosphere.

 

[andythinkpad]

Space Gigolo.

This sequel need to be made!

 

[Pristine_Condition]

Things like this will be pretty vital to any sort of human long distance travel - living space that can be held in farings during accent and just deployed once out of atmosphere.

Yeah. And they need to be self-deployable. Which is why the obvious option of just getting an astronaut out there to do an EVA and fix whatever is wrong is certainly on the table, but certainly as a near-last resort.

I'm joking around a lot, but NASA and Bigelow have some important work to do to figure this out. The data they collect for future modules of this type is very important regardless of whether or not this mission is a total success or not.

 

[MogCakes]

Space Gigolo.

Whenever I see this guy Deuce Bigolo is immediately what I think of.

 

[Mohonky]

They provide a "varying degree of protection" ... lol

That stood out to me also. If I was up there I would describe that as 'not very comforting'

"How much protection does it provide?"

"Eh, we're pretty hopeful I suppose. I mean, it should be enough, just don't spend too long in there, you know, just in case"

 

[cameron]

From the NASA blog: "BEAM Expansion Terminated for the Day"

Efforts to expand the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) were terminated for the day after several hours of attempts to introduce air into the module. Flight controllers informed NASA astronaut Jeff Williams that BEAM had only expanded a few inches in both length and diameter at the time the operation ceased for the day. Engineers are meeting to determine a forward course of action, with the possibility that another attempt could be made as early as Friday morning.

"NASA and Bigelow Aerospace Analyzing BEAM Status"

NASA and Bigelow Aerospace are working closely to understand why the module did not fully expand today as planned. Engineers are meeting at the Johnson Space Center in Houston to discuss a path forward for the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM). They are evaluating data from the expansion that has occurred thus far. If the data supports a resumption of operations, another attempt to complete the module’s expansion could come as early as tomorrow.

With the team focused on analyzing BEAM’s status, a previously scheduled teleconference for Thursday, May 26 at 10 a.m. EDT has been postponed until we have more information available to share. NASA will send an updated media advisory when the next step for BEAM operations is decided upon.

Chris B - NSF @NASASpaceflight
An expansion gif. You can see it grew in diameter, but not length:

Edit: More info via NSF.

The restraint straps that have been keeping BEAM in its tightly packed form were then be released, following which the module’s bulkhead will be released in order to allow it to expand, whereupon the actual inflation process will begin.

This was the initial issue, with the NASA Standard Initiators (NSIs) failing to indicate they had fired, which is required to ensure the straps would release as the module expanded.

However, after some troubleshooting, Jeff Williams was able to confirm the NSIs had fired, allowing for the process to continue.

Unlike the traditional model of inflation, where air is blown directly into the object in the same way as a balloon is inflated, in the case of inflatable modules, air is actually blown into bladders located between the layers of material that make up the module’s skin.

Originally, the plan was to use air from tanks located inside BEAM to inflate these bladders, however analysis showed that this could cause expansion to occur too fast and potentially place damagingly high loads on the ISS in the process, so instead the air will be supplied from the station in a more controlled manner.

As such, this was done via Williams opening a Manual Pressure Equalisation Valve (MPEV) on BEAM’s hatch.

It was not actually known precisely how the inflation dynamics would occur, as it has only ever been done twice before (Genesis I and II), neither of which were of the same construction or size as BEAM.

This proved to be a learning curve, as after two hours of adding a few seconds of air into the module, only the width expanded, as opposed to the length.

Mission controllers decided it would be best to defer operations for the day to allow them to evaluate the next steps.

 

[Neo C.]

Oh, that's too bad (and short).

 

[cameron]

Update: There will be another attempt at 9 a.m. EDT Saturday, May 28.

NASA ‏@NASA
Teams monitored @BigelowSpace’s Expandable Activity Module overnight; additional expansion & lower pressure seen.

NASA ‏@NASA
2nd attempt expanding @BigelowSpace's Expandable Activity Module at 9am ET tomorrow: http://go.nasa.gov/1WQUXAY

CBS News: "NASA to try again on BEAM inflatable space station module"

Friday afternoon, mission managers said they planned to make a second attempt Saturday by first depressurizing the module, allowing its fabric walls to relax. Then they could press ahead with re-inflation, using higher pressure if needed. Engineers were still evaluating how to manage the pressurization process.

"What we're expecting to see out of that is a relaxation of the structure inside of BEAM, the fabric structures, and then that will allow us to ... walk back through the repressuzation sequence again," said Jason Crusan, director of NASA's advanced exploration systems.

"We believe this depressurization-to-pressurization cycle will allow relaxation in those forces and the fabric to shift around."

He said engineers believe more pressure will be needed, possibly because friction and other forces acting on the reinforced fabric are greater than predicted by pre-launch models.

"We want to ensure whenever we have an expansion event we don't impart any significant forces into the space station itself," he said. "Whenever it does expand out, we expect it to be somewhat gradual with a couple of energetic events as it kind of goes through its unfurling process.

NASA wants to make sure "that at no time do we impart loads," Crusan said. Flight controllers could have increased the pressure Thursday but opted to stand down to evaluate the models and to determine how best to manage the pressure.

 

[Par Score]

Thankfully everything seems to be going a lot better today.

Just coming back from a comms break to continue with expansion.

 

[Evil's Bane]

Wow, I read this and thought NASA was gonna use like a space satellite or some shit to spy on ISIS and they were gonna live stream it or some shit

The actual thing they're doing is cool too and makes sense though

 

[cameron]

Well done, Jeff!

NASA Space Station Blog: "BEAM Expanded To Full Size"

The Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) was expanded to its full size at 4:10 p.m. EDT. Expansion was completed as the International Space Station flew over the south Pacific at an altitude of 252 miles. The NASA and Bigelow Aerospace teams working with NASA Astronaut Jeff Williams will now begin the final step to open eight tanks of air stored within the BEAM to pressurize the module. NASA Television coverage continues and can be seen at http://www.nasa.gov/nasatv

NASA Astronaut Jeff Williams and the NASA and Bigelow Aerospace teams working at Mission Control Center at NASA’s Johnson Space Center spent more than seven hours on operations to fill the BEAM with air to cause it to expand.

Williams opened the valve 25 times today for a total time of 2 minutes and 27 seconds to add air to the module in short bursts as flight controllers carefully monitored the module’s internal pressure. Time in between bursts allowed the module to stabilize and expand.

From the beginning of operations at 9:04 a.m. EDT, the module added 61 inches in length to reach 67 inches beyond its packed configuration and an internal diameter of 127 inches. Its final length will be 158 inches, and its final diameter will be 127 inches.

"BEAM Fully Expanded and Pressurized"

Pressurization of the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) began at 4:34 p.m. EDT, and the eight tanks filled with air completed full pressurization of the module 10 minutes later at 4:44 p.m. BEAM’s pressure will be equalized with that of the International Space Station, where it will remain attached for a two-year test period.

The module measured just over 7 feet long and just under 7.75 feet in diameter in its packed configuration. BEAM now measures more than 13 feet long and about 10.5 feet in diameter to create 565 cubic feet of habitable volume. It weighs approximately 3,000 pounds.

During the next week, leak checks will be performed on BEAM to ensure its structural integrity. Hatch opening and NASA astronaut Jeff Williams’ first entrance into BEAM will take place about a week after leak checks are complete.

http://spaceflight101.com/dragon-spx8/beam-deployment-success/


Edit:

Time lapse:

https://twitter.com/cpamoa/status/736654277192585217

http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-052816a-beam-inflated-space-station.html

 

[cameron]

No leaks. They went inside this morning. Temperature at the aft bulkhead of BEAM was 44°F(6.7°C).

NASA Space Station Blog: "BEAM Open for the First Time"

NASA astronaut Jeff Williams opened the hatch to the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) at 4:47 a.m. EDT Monday, June 6. Along with Russian cosmonaut Oleg Skripochka, Williams entered BEAM for the first time to collect an air sample and begin downloading data from sensors on the dynamics of BEAM’s expansion. Williams told flight controllers at Mission Control, Houston that BEAM looked “pristine” and said it was cold inside, but that there was no evidence of any condensation on its inner surfaces.

Additional ingress opportunities to deploy other sensors and equipment in BEAM are scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday. The hatch to BEAM will be closed after each entry.

Recap video (~3 minutes) via NASA Johnson Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kZZdp727ek