The International Space Station is getting an inflatable spare room.

The first-of-its-kind habitat built by Bigelow Aerospace LLC weighs 3,000 pounds and is made of a Kevlar-like material to withstand space debris and radiation. It looks more like a giant propane gas tank than a kids moon bounce and will be attached to a port on the space station.

It will rocket into space in 2015 with the blessing of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, which last week awarded the firm a $17.8 million contract to demonstrate the technology. Eventually, Las Vegas hotelier Robert Bigelow wants to build separate stations that might be used as research laboratories orbiting Earth or to establish a permanent presence on the moon or Mars.

Ultimately, hes hoping to build hotels in low-earth orbit and have that be one of the up-and-coming space businesses -- this will give him more credibility, said Marco Caceres, a senior space analyst with Teal Group Corp. in Fairfax, Virginia. Theres a lot of people out there that say, Oh cmon, hotels in low-earth orbit -- thats a fantasy right? I believe he has the tools to do it.

The challenge will be finding customers, Caceres said in a phone interview. Bigelows primary focus is on corporations and governments interested in developing astronaut programs or doing research. Space tourism is secondary, and the company has tried to steer away from the space hotel label.

NASAs willingness to back the mission is a seal of approval, the company has said.

We look at this as a stepping stone with expandable technologies, Robert Bigelow, 68, said today during a press conference at his companys headquarters, about 10 miles north of the Las Vegas strip. We have ambitions to go to the moon someday.

NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver echoed Bigelows enthusiasm for the project.

Its really our first commercial real estate in space, Garver said.

Bigelow plans to introduce a stand-alone station that can accommodate as many as 12 people by 2016, the company said. A flight to the planned Alpha Station would cost from $26.3 million to $36.8 million for a 60-day stay, depending on the taxi selected, according to the firm.

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NASA Goes Ikea to Test Inflatable Annex for Space Station