Bigelow Aerospace successfully launched and deployed the Genesis II inflatable space station module. Once released by the Russian rocket carrying the cargo, Genesis II expanded from it's 6.2 ft diameter size to it's 8 ft diameter deployment size. The module was also able to successfully unfold it's solar panels to provide power to the inflatable module.

Bigelow Aerospace gets +2 points for deploying solar panels in space. This private company based in Nevada was able to do what NASA and China's aerospace program both failed to do successfully. (NASA's recent ISS snafu)(China's recent

Upgrade to all of the Russian Dnepr rockets will delay the launch of Genesis 2, the inflatable space hotel of Bigelow Aerospace. The launch will be delayed until the end of May.

Bigelow aerospace is getting ready to launch the second part of their inflatable orbiter. Genesis 2 shipped out to Russia at the end of March in preparation for the April launch. The inflatable segment to Bigelow's private space station will launch into orbit about a Russian Dnepr rocket.

Bigelow Aerospace's launch provider, Kosmotras is investigating a problem that they had with the SS-18 rockets used to launch the Genesis 2 inflatable space station. Kosmotras says that some of the Soviet rockets have a manufacturing defect that makes them blow up at bad times (at launch). While Kosmotras sorts this problem out, Bigelow has delayed the second test launch until April 1, 2007