Collaborative Research: ISS: Gravity-Dependence of Dense Granular Flows: Experiments and Digital Twins

NSF Award Search · 01002526DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT · $275,000 · view on nsf.gov ↗

Abstract

Materials made of grains - like sand, agricultural products, and pharmaceutical powders - are not only some of the most common materials in our daily lives but also cover the surfaces of other planets. Predicting how they will flow on Earth has been a long-standing challenge for engineers. These difficulties will only grow as missions are planned at lower gravity to explore asteroids, the Moon, and Mars. In this project, the team will create powder-flow experiments small enough to fly on the International Space Station. These experiments, performed by astronauts at both high and low gravity, will be compared to results from experiments performed by students here on Earth. Using this data, reliable digital twins will be created and tested, which are computer models that mimic the observed flows. Through these efforts, cutting-edge training will also be provided to students. This project will explore granular flow behavior by conducting and modeling experiments under different gravity conditions, both on Earth and aboard the International Space Station (ISS) using the Multi-use Variable-gravity Platform (MVP). This specialized facility employs a centrifuge to simulate a wide spectrum of gravitational forces - from near-weightlessness to conditions exceeding Earth gravity - offering a rare opportunity to examine how granular systems respond outside typical terrestrial environments. This project will investigate two central hypotheses. The first posits that granular flows ar

Key facts

NSF award ID
2532009
Awardee
North Carolina State University (NC)
SAM.gov UEI
U3NVH931QJJ3
PI
Karen E Daniels
Primary program
01002526DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
All programs
Estimated total
$275,000
Funds obligated
$275,000
Transaction type
Standard Grant
Period
08/15/2025 → 07/31/2029