A deal between NASA and a commercial spaceflight company to add a privately built module to the International Space Stationcould lead to future uses of the novel space technology beyond low-Earth orbit, space agency and company officials say.

NASA will pay $17.8 million to Bigelow Aerospace of North Las Vegas to build an inflatable module, test it and prep it for flight. The Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) is to be launched around the summer of 2015. Some developmental news is that it may well be used for habitats aswell possibly on the moon or mars.