NASA’s Largest Microgravity Test Facility Aids Understanding of Boiling and Condensation for Space Travel

After a decade of preparation and two years of active experiments in space, a facility that Purdue University and NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland designed, built and tested has completed its test campaign on the International Space Station.

The Flow Boiling and Condensation Experiment (FBCE), led by Purdue professor Issam Mudawar, gathered vital data for engineering innovations to help astronauts travel farther into space and conduct long-duration missions on the moon or Mars. The data will also support the design of future spacecraft propulsion, thermal management systems, in-space refueling and vapor compression heat pumps for planetary bases.