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Astronauts Enter First Inflatable Space Lodge

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CAPE CANAVERAL (CBSMiami/AP) — A first for the astronauts on the International Space Station. On Monday they entered the world's first inflatable space habitat.

International Space Station astronaut Jeffrey Williams swung open the door to the newly expanded chamber and then floated inside. Williams says the room — called the Bigelow Activity Activity Module, or BEAM — is pristine but cold.

The chamber, for now, is empty and dark. The station crew will deploy sensors and other gear over the next few days.

BEAM arrived at the orbiting lab in April and was inflated just over a week ago. Bigelow Aerospace is in charge of the experiment and, along with NASA, wants to see how the 13-foot-long BEAM withstands radiation and orbital debris over the next two years.

The Nevada-based Bigelow is developing even bigger and better inflatable habitats for space travel.

(TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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