Agnirva Space Premier League - Expedition #32460: The Lightest Solid in Space: Exploring Graphene Aerogels in Microgravity

Graphene aerogels—ultralight, super-strong, and incredibly porous—are often called the 'miracle materials' of the future. But what happens when we take their production out of Earth's gravity and into space? That’s exactly what the ISS experiment titled “Examination of the Multi-physical Properties of Microgravity-synthesized Graphene Aerogels” set out to discover.

Led by top researchers including Debbie Senesky from Stanford and Roya Maboudian and Carlo Carraro from UC Berkeley, and developed by Techshot, Inc., this project explored how microgravity impacts the structure and properties of graphene aerogels.

On Earth, the drying and solidification of aerogels can be affected by gravity, causing structural imperfections. In microgravity, these forces are eliminated, potentially allowing for more uniform and mechanically robust materials. During Expedition 69, graphene aerogels were synthesized aboard the ISS and returned for analysis.

Researchers studied thermal conductivity, mechanical strength, and porosity—key factors that determine aerogel performance in applications like insulation, catalysis, sensors, and even aerospace components. The microgravity-grown aerogels could outperform their Earth-grown counterparts, paving the way for commercial applications in extreme environments.

This experiment not only deepens our understanding of advanced materials but also proves how low-Earth orbit can become a valuable manufacturing lab for futuristic technologies.

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.