Houston, We Have A Spare Room In Space

NASA's mission to pump up the world's first flexible habitat in space is accomplished and hailed as "a significant milestone".

The fully pumped up Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM). Pic: NASA TV

NASA has successfully inflated a new experimental room at the International Space Station, two days after running into problems during the first attempt.

The operation to expand and pressurise the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module, or BEAM, took much longer than expected, stretching over three days - but victory, when it came, was sweet.

"A significant milestone has been accomplished," Bigelow Aerospace, the inflatable chamber's creator, announced on Twitter.

Astronaut Jeffrey Williams spent seven hours on Saturday opening and closing an air valve to expand the compartment.

Enough air finally seeped inside so that the white pod could stretch to its full 13ft (3.96m) in length and 10.5ft (3.2m) in diameter - the volume equivalent to a small bedroom.

Internal air tanks provided the final pressurisation to complete the job.

Popping noises described as sounding like popcorn in a frying pan, could be heard as the pressure built up inside BEAM.

How the BEAM expanded in stages. Pic: NASA TV

NASA said it was the sound of internal straps releasing as the pod swelled in both length and girth.

Mr Williams and his five crewmates will have to wait a week before venturing inside.

NASA wants to make certain the chamber is airtight before opening the door.

NASA paid $17.8m (£12.2m) for the technology demo, which could lead to an even bigger inflatable room at the space station.

Bigelow Aerospace, based in Las Vegas, hopes BEAM will be a precursor to moon and Mars habitats, and orbiting tourist hotels.

Its founder Robert Bigelow, a hotel entrepreneur, is reported to be already is working on a pair of private inflatable space stations that "could fly in a few years".

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