Gravity affects practically everything we do—from pouring a glass of water to lighting a match. But what happens in low-gravity environments like space, where the effects of gravity differ on things as fundamental as water and fire?
In the new Space Physical Science cluster created in collaboration with NASA, we explore the amazing science that happens in space, where the effects of gravity are reduced and change the way that many physical processes work.
Through 18 engaging pathways divided into four thematic groups ("tours"), explore topics like fluid physics, combustion, soft matter, and fire safety, focusing on how these processes behave differently in space than on Earth. By studying real experiments from NASA's work aboard the International Space Station, gain a better understanding of how space research leads to new discoveries in physics and helps develop technologies that benefit both space missions and life here on Earth.
Below, read more about the intriguing new pathways in this cluster.
Dive into the fascinating world of space physics. Explore how the unique space environment unlocks new insights in physics and engineering, focusing on Fluid Physics, Combustion Science, and Soft Matter. Discover the collaborative model that brings together community participation, from formulating investigations to sharing groundbreaking data.
Creating a weightless environment on Earth is one of the primary ways NASA seeks to understand how materials and reactions behave in microgravity, without needing to go into space. In this pathway, learn what microgravity is and why understanding its effects is crucial for successful missions into space.
Explore the International Space Station (ISS), focusing on its advanced research facilities, including the Combustion Integrated Rack, Fluids Integrated Rack, Microgravity Science Glovebox, and Maintenance Work Area. These facilities enable scientists to conduct experiments in the ISS's unique microgravity environment, pushing the boundaries of science and technology.
Embark on an exciting journey to uncover the mysteries of fluids with this pathway! Explore the fascinating properties of fluids through interactive articles and engaging videos, delving into fluid dynamics, thermodynamics, and the behavior of fluids in microgravity. Witness amazing experiments and gain a comprehensive understanding of how fluids play a crucial role both on Earth and in space!
Engage with the fascinating world of surface tension, adhesion, and cohesion, and explore how these water properties enable vital processes like capillary action in plants and fluid behavior in space, enhancing our understanding of microgravity physics.
Join us in exploring the core concepts of fluid dynamics, focusing on density and buoyancy. This pathway covers the fundamental forces in fluids, both on Earth and in space, and includes engaging activities to deepen your understanding of these principles.
Phase changes happen when heat is transferred into or out of a substance. By understanding the nature of this heat transfer in different environments and under different circumstances, scientists are able to develop more efficient refrigeration technology. Learn how the science of heat transfer is used to develop new technologies on the International Space Station.
Boiling is an efficient way of transferring heat energy out of a material. With this pathway, learn how liquids boil differently in a microgravity environment compared to on the Earth's surface and see how the science of boiling is used to develop new cooling technologies on the International Space Station.
Become familiar with the fundamentals of combustion with this learning pathway. Uncover the connection between useful energy and combustion, and understand how combustion is used to drive internal combustion engines in space crafts.
Embark on a fiery journey with NASA's groundbreaking experiments in microgravity, conducted aboard zero-gravity planes and the International Space Station. Explore the FLEX and CLD Flame studies, which investigate the unique behaviors of flames in the absence of gravity. These experiments aim to enhance our understanding of combustion, potentially improving energy efficiency and safety in both space and Earth environments.
Discover how NASA is improving efficiency and reducing pollutant emissions in practical terrestrial combustions via the ACME experiments. This pathway delves into NASA's groundbreaking experiments aboard the ISS, studying how gaseous fuels behave in microgravity and advancing crucial fire prevention research.
Discover how NASA is pushing the boundaries of space exploration by tackling one of its most critical challenges—fire safety in space. This pathway delves into NASA's groundbreaking experiments aboard the ISS, studying how solid fuels behave in microgravity and advancing crucial fire prevention research.
Ensuring spacecraft fire safety is vital for the success of astronaut missions. Discover how fire behaves in microgravity through NASA's innovative Saffire experiments. Explore the challenges and breakthroughs in mitigating fire risks in space, and learn how these advancements enhance safety for both space and Earth-based environments.
Dive into the squishy, stretchy, and surprising world of soft matter, where physics meets the fantastic! Discover why NASA takes these materials to space, and learn how their unique behaviors in low gravity could unlock new possibilities for science and technology.
Explore NASA’s Advanced Colloids Experiment (ACE) and Preliminary Advanced Colloids Experiment (PACE) to study the unique properties of colloids in microgravity, driving innovations in space exploration and advancing our understanding of their applications in research.
This pathway explores materials that behave like both liquids and solids, such as liquid crystals, polymers, and non-Newtonian fluids. You'll learn how these materials flow, respond to stress, and change behavior in microgravity through experiments on Earth and in space.
Foams play an essential role in our everyday lives, from shaving cream to fire-resistant insulation, aerospace materials, and food production. This pathway explores how foams form, evolve, and are optimized for scientific and commercial applications. Discover how gravity influences foam behavior, with groundbreaking experiments aboard the International Space Station.
Why do Brazil nuts end up on top of the mix? Why do footprints on wet sand seem to dry the ground? How can a pile of snow turn into an avalanche—and what does that have to do with exploring the Moon? This learning pathway dives into the curious, surprising, and essential physics of granular materials—substances like sand, nuts, soil, and snow that behave like both solids and fluids.
Explore the full NASA Space Physical Science cluster as well as other space-based clusters created in collaboration with NASA:
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