iss050e037908 (2/2/2017) --- NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson and European Space Agency (ESA) Thomas Pesquet in the Bigelow Expandable Aerospace Module (BEAM). The Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) is an experimental expandable capsule that docks with the International Space Station (ISS). After docking, BEAM inflates to roughly 13 feet long and 10.5 feet in diameter to provide a habitable volume where a crew member can enter.