Agnirva Space Premier League - Expedition #31526: Magnetic Fluids in Microgravity: A High School Experiment Beyond Earth

Magnetorheological (MR) fluids are pretty cool on Earth. When exposed to a magnetic field, they change from a liquid to a semi-solid almost instantly. But what happens to these shape-shifting fluids in the absence of gravity? That’s what students from Carmel Christian High School set out to discover with their experiment on the ISS.

MR fluids have many practical applications—from shock absorbers in cars to vibration control in buildings. Their secret? Tiny magnetic particles suspended in oil that align when magnetized. In space, the way particles move and interact changes due to the lack of gravity. This makes the ISS the perfect lab to explore how MR fluids behave over time.

The experiment sent a sealed container of MR fluid to orbit, where it was periodically exposed to magnetic fields. Researchers observed changes in the fluid’s magnetic response, structure, and consistency over several weeks.

Findings suggested that without gravity, the particles don’t settle like on Earth. This results in more uniform responses but also changes how quickly the fluid can switch states. The implications are huge—potentially affecting how we design spacecraft components that rely on fluid-based systems.

The project not only provided valuable scientific data but also gave students hands-on experience in experimental design, physics, and materials science.

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