Agnirva Space Premier League - Expedition #32202: What Happens When Colloids Clump in Space? A Look into Optical Diagnostics

Colloidal solutions—mixtures where tiny particles are suspended in liquids—are found everywhere from milk to paint. Understanding how these particles behave is important for industries and science alike. In microgravity, their behavior changes dramatically, offering scientists new insights. That’s where the Selectable Optical Diagnostics Instrument (SODI) experiment, led by Dr. Gerard Wegdam of the University of Amsterdam, comes in.

Launched during Expeditions 23/24 and 25/26, this experiment studied the aggregation—or clumping—of colloidal particles in space. Using advanced optical diagnostics, SODI monitored how particles moved and interacted when the usual pull of gravity was removed. This helps researchers understand the fundamental forces governing particle dynamics.

The results can improve the formulation of products like pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and even food. On a broader scale, it deepens our understanding of condensed matter physics, particularly in environments that can’t be simulated on Earth.

Conducted in collaboration with Verhaert Design and Development in Belgium, and sponsored by the European Space Agency, the study underscores how space is an unparalleled laboratory for basic science.

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