NASA Astronaut Nichole Ayers Conducts Microgravity Experiment on International Space Station

NASA astronaut Nichole \"Vapor\" Ayers, currently serving as a flight engineer on Expedition 73 aboard the International Space Station (ISS), is conducting experiments in microgravity.

The ISS's microgravity setting allows researchers like Ayers to conduct various studies, including growing plants, creating miso paste, monitoring bone density changes, and observing weather phenomena from space.

Ayers recently completed the Ring Sheared Drop investigation inside the Microgravity Science Glovebox on the ISS. This experiment examines protein-based liquids in microgravity to understand how forces like surface tension and viscosity impact fluid dynamics.

The Microgravity Science Glovebox is situated in the Destiny laboratory module on the ISS.

Ayers' experiment could have significant implications for drug manufacturing and 3D printing in space by providing insights into designing more stable drugs and creating custom-made objects using liquids.

Ayers is part of NASA's Expedition 73, a seven-person mission that started on April 19, 2025, and will conclude in November. The crew has also hosted visitors from the private Axiom-4 mission, which is conducting numerous experiments during their stay at the space station.

For more information about the International Space Station and its ongoing experiments, visit the source link below.