Agnirva Space Premier League - Expedition #31708: How Students Studied Space Cooling on the ISS: The Three-Way Chill Challenge

In the unique environment of space, cooling systems play a crucial role in maintaining life-supporting conditions and protecting sensitive equipment. But how do different cooling solutions perform in microgravity? Valley Christian High School students in San Jose, California, partnered with the Lowell Center for Space Science and Technology to answer this question aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Their project, conducted during Expeditions 47/48, compared the effectiveness of three distinct thermal cooling solutions in orbit.

The science behind thermal management in space is different from on Earth. Without gravity, convection—the process where heat rises and cool air sinks—doesn’t occur as it does at ground level. This means cooling systems must rely more on conduction and radiation, making the ISS a perfect lab for such experiments.

The student researchers designed miniature cooling chambers that contained three different solutions: a water-based coolant, an alcohol-based coolant, and a proprietary fluid engineered for thermal management. Each chamber was equipped with heat sources and sensors to measure temperature changes over time.

One of the major goals was to determine how quickly and efficiently each fluid could remove heat in zero gravity. The team hypothesized that the performance ranking of these fluids in space might differ from what we observe on Earth.

Once the experiment reached orbit, astronauts activated the hardware and initiated the heating cycles. Temperature sensors relayed data to ground teams, which students analyzed back on Earth. Early results showed that while all three solutions functioned in space, the proprietary fluid outperformed the others in terms of temperature regulation and speed of cooling.

This kind of hands-on research allowed students to understand fluid dynamics, heat transfer, and engineering constraints in the most extreme lab available—the ISS. They developed hypotheses, built prototypes, tested their ideas in microgravity, and drew meaningful conclusions.

Beyond the science, the experience highlighted how education and real-world applications can come together. Students weren’t just learning about thermal properties in textbooks—they were applying that knowledge in orbit.

By addressing how cooling systems behave in space, these students also contributed to future spacecraft design, where efficient thermal management is essential for long-term missions.

Join the Agnirva Space Internship Program

Get certified with over 100 hours of immersive, self-paced learning in astronomy, cosmology, space technology, and climate science through the Agnirva Space Internship Program. Join, complete virtual projects, and earn a digital certificate to showcase your space fluency in interviews, resumes, and beyond.