Can You Blow Bubbles In Space?

Whether you can blow bubbles in space or not depends on whether you're inside or outside of the space station. If you're outside, blowing bubbles is the least of your concerns.

On Earth, when we blow air into soapy water, a bubble forms as the soap film creates a pocket of air, pushing the surrounding air aside. However, in the vacuum of space, there's no surrounding air to counteract the outside of the soap film. The soap film is so fragile that it would burst almost instantly.

Inside a spacecraft, on the other hand, it's entirely possible to blow bubbles even without gravity. These bubbles will still take on the familiar spherical shape and float much the same way. Bubbles in space, just like on Earth, are filled with the same air that surrounds them, so they float regardless of gravity. In space, these bubbles may last a bit longer because the liquid soap in their membranes won't tend to sink to the bottom, which would make the top of the bubble thinner and more fragile.

What About Water Bubbles?

Watching a water bubble glide effortlessly through the International Space Station is captivating and beautiful. However, this simple bubble is also a valuable tool for researchers studying how fluids behave differently in microgravity compared to Earth. The weightless conditions in the station provide a unique opportunity to observe and manipulate various fluids in ways impossible on our planet. This is mainly due to surface tension dynamics and the absence of buoyancy and sedimentation in low-gravity environments. Understanding fluid behavior in these conditions could lead to improved designs for fuel tanks, water systems, and other fluid-based systems for space travel, as well as applications on Earth.

Numerous experiments on the space station focus on fluid physics, examining the movement of liquids and the formation of bubbles. Similar to Earth, bubbles can be both desired and problematic in space. Even simple tasks like drinking water must consider bubbles to function correctly in microgravity.

Experiments Using Water Bubbles

Observation Analysis of Smectic Islands in Space (OASIS):

This study explores the unique behavior of liquid crystals in microgravity, where they act as both solids and liquids. Studying these crystal bubbles helps researchers understand liquids in motion, potentially leading to improvements in space-helmet micro-displays and LCD screen quality.

Capillary Flow Experiment (CFE):

CFE addresses the challenge of transferring fluids between containers in space, where liquids don't flow as they do on Earth. This research focuses on capillary forces, which enable fluids to flow through narrow tubes without gravity's assistance. Insights from CFE could enhance fluid systems on future spacecraft and improve our understanding of capillary forces in porous materials.

Constrained Vapor Bubble:

This investigation delves into the physics of evaporation and condensation and their impact on cooling processes. It aids in developing models of bubble formation for more efficient microelectronic cooling systems.

Eli Lilly Hard to Wet Surfaces:

This study explores a material's ability to dissolve in water in microgravity, potentially shedding light on why drugs may be less effective in space. The findings could lead to improved tablet designs for more efficient drug delivery.

Nucleate Pool Boiling Experiment:

This experiment observes bubble growth and detachment from a heated surface in microgravity. Understanding this process can improve heat transfer equipment for extreme environments like deep oceans, extreme cold, and high altitudes.

Two-Phase Flow:

Investigates heat transfer characteristics during boiling in microgravity. This research provides insights into bubble formation, liquid vapor flow, and heat transfer in cooling systems.

To support these experiments, the space station is equipped with facilities like the Fluids Integrated Rack, the Fluid Science Laboratory, and the Fluid Physics Experiment Facility, which host investigations in areas such as colloids, bubbles, wetting, capillary action, and phase changes.