When astronauts set off for a trip around the moon in 2024 with NASA's Artemis II mission, they will go primed with knowledge of lunar landmarks gathered by one of the Agency's premiere robotic missions to our nearest cosmic neighbor.

Dropcoal, short for drop coalescence, is a research project that studies how droplets form in space and on Earth. The results will grant insights into raindrop and cloud formation, fuel combustion and interactions between materials, all with broad implications for industry and academy. They also play a crucial role in administering medicine to astronauts during lengthy and far-reaching space missions.

The project encompasses experiments running during parabolic flights and in laboratories. The aim is to study droplet formation and coalescence in the low gravity environment of the International Space Station as part of a future ESA mission.

When drops collide

On Earth, gravity complicates drop formation. When a liquid falls or drips, gravity pulls it downward and affects the way the drop forms. Instead of a simple, perfectly spherical shape, gravity causes the drop to elongate or flatten out as it falls.