NASA Request for Information (RFI) for 2019 NASA SLPSRA Fluid Physics Workshop

RFI Number: NNH19ZTT003L

Release Date: July 2, 2019

Responses Due Date: September 6, 2019

A series of Presidential Space Policy Directives issued by the Executive Office of the United States Government in 2017 and 2018 affirm the nation’s commitment to human space exploration and the commercial use of space. Enacting Space Policy Directive 1—Reinvigorating America’s Human Space Exploration Program—will require innovations in every aspect of space exploration from launch on Earth to human habitation on the moon and Mars. Aligned with this directive, NASA’s Physical Sciences Research Program of the Space Life and Physical Sciences Research and Applications (SLPSRA) Division solicits and conducts research to understand how physical systems respond to space flight environments, particularly low gravity. The International Space Station (ISS) provides researchers the ability to conduct long-duration experiments in low Earth orbit, enabling scientists, engineers, and technologists to pursue innovations and discoveries not achievable by other means. A breadth of research areas are made accessible in an environment where gravity-driven phenomena, such as buoyancy-driven fluid flows, are nearly negligible.

Gravity strongly affects fluid behavior through forces that drive motion and shape phase boundaries. The goal of the microgravity fluid physics program is to understand fluid behavior of physical systems in space, providing a foundation for predicting, controlling, and improving a vast range of technological processes. Specifically, in low gravity, the reduced effect of buoyancy and the stronger influence of capillary forces can have a dramatic effect on fluid behavior. The need for a better understanding of fluid physics has created a vigorous, multidisciplinary research community whose ongoing vitality is marked by the continuous emergence of new fields in both basic and applied science. Experiments conducted in space have yielded rich results. Some were unexpected and most could not be observed in Earth-based laboratories. These results have provided valuable insights into fundamental fluid behavior that apply to both terrestrial and space environments. Results from research on fluid management and heat transfer, for both propulsion and life-support systems, have made meaningful contributions to space exploration.

The purpose of this Request for Information (RFI) is to help prepare for the NASA SLPSRA Fluid Physics Workshop (http://icpi.nasaprs.com/SLPSRAFluidPhysics2019). The workshop will be held at the Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, October 16–17, 2019. The workshop participants will provide recommendations to NASA on future research directions for the microgravity fluid physics program.

You are invited to provide input to this RFI by describing an experimental concept, observation, theory, or modeling activity that, makes use of the ISS environment, promises to advance an existing or new scientific objective, contributes to fundamental understanding of fluid physics, and facilitates the connection between science and societal needs. The full RFI and submission instructions can be found at https://tinyurl.com/NASA-RFI-NNH19ZTT003L. All responses will be considered non-proprietary public information for distribution without attribution.