Agnirva Space Premier League - Expedition #32270: Redefining Fluid Dynamics: Investigating Water Flow in Microgravity

How does water flow in the vacuum of space, far from the pull of gravity? That’s what students at Carmel Christian School set out to discover in their experiment aboard the ISS. This project investigated how the absence of gravitational force influences the movement of water—something so common on Earth, yet so unusual in space.

Normally, gravity dictates flow direction and speed, but in space, water forms spheres and clings to surfaces. By observing how water moves through a designed channel in microgravity, the students collected data on flow rates and compared them to similar tests on Earth.

Such fundamental insights are key to designing better fluid systems for space habitats, irrigation in off-world agriculture, and spacecraft cooling systems. It also provided the students with firsthand experience in experimental design, physics, and teamwork.

Join the Agnirva Space Internship Program

Get certified with over 100 hours of immersive, self-paced learning in 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.