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A prototype of an inflatable space station module successfully expanded and deployed its solar panels after being launched into orbit, developer Bigelow Aerospace said. A Russian rocket lofted the Genesis II module into space on Thursday. The 15-foot-long module's flexible exterior was folded around an inner core for launch and had to expand from a diameter of about 6.2 feet to 8 feet. The solar panels also had to extend to supply power. Both actions were confirmed, said spokesman Chris Reed. Genesis II also transmitted pictures of itself in orbit. Bigelow Aerospace of Nevada is privately developing the technology with...

An inflatable re-entry vehicle that could be used to return cargo and even astronauts from the International Space Station is to undergo flight tests next month. If the tests are successful the lightweight spacecraft could be used to transport payloads from the ISS within two to three years, according to Dr Stephan Walther, chief executive of developer Return & Rescue Space Systems (RRSS), a joint venture between EADS-Space Transportation and the Russian Babakin Space Centre. The craft, which resembles a shuttlecock, is being developed with support from ESA as a cheaper alternative to the US Shuttle for transporting cargo from...