BEAM, the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module, was pictured installed to the Tranquility module on the International Space Station with an external high definition camera. Expandable habitats greatly decrease the amount of transport volume for future space missions. These “expandables” 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. Credit: NASA #nasa #MEAN #bigelow #habitats #iss #livinginspace #nasatech #technologytuesday