Station Science Top News: Jan. 6, 2022
An International Space Station study found that while the SCN-DC metallic mixture is known to create rod-like patterns when solidifying on Earth, at a slow growth rate in microgravity, the metallic mixture forms both rods and layers separated by a sharp boundary. This increases our understanding in materials solidification processes, which could help develop stronger, lighter-weight materials.
The ESA (European Space Agency) study Transparent Alloys – SEBA analyzed the solidification of SCN-DC, a eutectic metal mixture which melts and solidifies at the same temperature. Microgravity provides a unique tool for controlling crystal growth without convection during solidification. The findings inform research conducted on particle self-assemblies and micropatterning in materials science. This generation of vitally important benchmark data in orbit will improve numerical models on Earth describing solidification processes, which could help develop stronger, lighter-weight materials.
Expedition 55 Flight Engineer and astronaut Scott Tingle is pictured conducting the Transparent Alloys experiment inside the Destiny lab module's Microgravity Science Glovebox. Credits: NASA
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2021 was a busy year of research aboard the space station. NASA’s SpaceX Crew-1, Crew-2, and Crew-3 missions supported hundreds of science experiments aboard the orbiting laboratory. Multiple Soyuz spacecrafts carried astronauts to and from station. An upgraded cargo Dragon spacecraft returned time-sensitive research to scientists on the ground. Astronauts and cosmonauts conducted 13 spacewalks. Their work included installing new solar panels to augment and upgrade the station’s power supply. Chiles and lettuce were harvested as a part of plant research preparing us for deep space missions, and technologies were tested for the upcoming Artemis missions to the Moon.
Look at some of the best photos of breakthrough investigations crew members worked on in 2021.
NASA astronaut and Expedition 66 Flight Engineer Kayla Barron checks out chile peppers growing inside the International Space Station’s Advanced Plant Habitat before they were harvested for the Plant Habitat-04 space botany experiment. Credits: NASA