Genesis I

Mission Profile

Genesis I is the first space habitat prototype built by Bigelow Aerospace, launched on 12 July 2006 aboard a Dnepr rocket into low Earth orbit as a technology demonstration of inflatable habitat structures for space stations. The 1.87-meter diameter module inflated to 2.54 meters after reaching orbit, testing the expandable soft-goods structure that forms the core of Bigelow's commercial space station concept. Genesis I carried cameras, biology experiments, and prototype habitat components to demonstrate that inflatable structures could withstand the rigors of the space environment including vacuum, radiation, and thermal cycling. The successful mission led to Genesis II in 2007 and eventually to the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) installed on the ISS in 2016.