Genesis I

Launched on a Dnepr rocket (an ICBM converted for commercial use) on July 12, 2006, Genesis I began Bigelow Aerospace's journey to revolutionize space commerce. The subscale technology demonstrator, which inaugurated the ISC Kosmotras Space and Missile Complex near Yasny, Russia, met with unprecedented success and was a unique technical, legal and financial pathfinder in a number of ways. Specifically, Genesis I:

• Represents the first expandable space habitat technology on orbit.



• Was the first spacecraft produced by Bigelow Aerospace.



• Marked the first commercial launch ever to take place at the ISC Kosmotras Space and Missile Complex near Yasny.



• Represented the first launch of a single, large payload aboard the Dnepr, taking full advantage of this innovative "swords into plowshares" transportation system.



• Likely represented the lowest-cost mission of its kind in the history of aerospace, including spacecraft fabrication and the launch itself.

Genesis I proved that an expandable habitat can survive the rigors of the launch environment and validated Bigelow Aerospace's fundamental designs and deployment strategy.

The spacecraft remains in orbit and is operational today, continuing to produce invaluable images, videos and data for Bigelow Aerospace. It is now demonstrating the long-term viability of expandable habitat technology in an actual orbital environment.