29252 - Genesis 1

Genesis 1 is an American entrepreneur's inflatable satellite that was launched by a Dnepr rocket (a converted ICBM, known as SS-18 Satan) from a converted ICBM missle site in the southern Ural mountains. The 1,300 kg craft was successfully inflated about two hours after launch to its normal cylindrical size of 2.4 m x 4.5 m. It is made of a tough sheet fabricated from a composite Kevlar that is often used in bullet-proof vests. The goal of the entrepreneur (Bigelow Aerospace Corp.) is to launch a few more of them, string them together and promote "space tourism".

Facts in Brief

Launch Date: 2006-07-12
Launch Vehicle: Dnepr
Launch Site: Yasni, Russia
Mass: 1300.0 kg