Bigelow Aerospace was an American space design and manufacturing company, founded by Robert Bigelow in 1998, that focused on developing expandable space station modules. Though the company ceased operations in 2020, it aimed to provide affordable commercial space platforms, with key products including the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) which was tested on the International Space Station. Bigelow Aerospace partnered with organizations like NASA and United Launch Alliance, and envisioned serving customers in low Earth orbit, the moon, and beyond.
All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.
Bigelow Aerospace launched the Genesis 1 and Genesis 2 spacecraft and built the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) currently on the ISS.
Chris Hearsey served as Director of Bigelow Aerospace.
NASA awarded a $250,000 contract to ATA Engineering of San Diego, California to provide engineering support services for the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) in a 2022-01-18 procurement filing.
Bigelow Aerospace launched the prototype inflatable modules Genesis 1 and Genesis 2 in 2006 and 2007, respectively.
Bigelow Aerospace had been developing a larger module called the B330, which has a volume of 330 cubic meters when fully expanded.
Bigelow Aerospace proposed developing commercial space stations using expandable inflatable modules and furloughed all its employees in March, after which it provided no public updates about its plans.
Bigelow Aerospace laid off all its employees, estimated to be nearly 70 at the time, on 2020-03-23 because of a Nevada state order closing nonessential businesses.
Robert Bigelow planned to use wealth from the real estate business to develop commercial space stations.
Bigelow Aerospace announced a partnership with United Launch Alliance in April 2016 to use ULA’s Atlas V to launch a B330 module to the ISS as soon as 2020.
Bigelow Aerospace secured a NASA contract in 2013 to build the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) for the International Space Station.
Bigelow Aerospace launched Genesis 1 in 2006 and Genesis 2 in 2007 on Dnepr rockets from Russia to demonstrate expandable module technology.
In June 2019, Bigelow Aerospace paid deposits and reservation fees for four Crew Dragon missions to the International Space Station and planned to sell seats on those flights for $52,000,000 each.
Robert Bigelow stated willingness to partner with other companies, including Elon Musk’s and Jeff Bezos’s ventures, to pursue a commercial lunar base using Bigelow Aerospace’s habitation expertise.
Genesis 2 was launched in 2007 as a demonstration of Bigelow Aerospace's expandable habitation module technologies.
Bigelow Aerospace assessed a 5.6% chance of collision between Genesis 2 and Cosmos 1300 for the early 2019-09-18 close pass.
The Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) launched in April 2016 on a cargo resupply mission and was installed on the International Space Station in May 2016.
In October 2017 NASA extended its agreement with Bigelow Aerospace to keep BEAM on the International Space Station for at least five more years to conduct additional tests and use it for cargo storage.
Bigelow Space Operations paid substantial sums as deposits and reservation fees to SpaceX in September 2018 for four Crew Dragon missions to the ISS.
Bigelow Space Operations plans to charge $52,000,000 per seat for private astronaut flights, yielding total ticket revenue per flight of $208,000,000.
Bigelow Aerospace is developing the B330 expandable module to serve as an autonomous space station.