Thailand Liquid Crystal in Space: Thai Research Bound for the International Space Station

 

Scheduled to launch on September 15, the Cygnus NG-23 mission will carry an experiment designed by Thai researchers for astronauts aboard the International Space Station to conduct in orbit.

 

The experiment, known as ‘Thailand Liquid Crystal in Space’ (TLC), is a study of liquid crystals in the microgravity environment of the International Space Station. The project is a collaboration between a research team led by Associate Professor Dr. Natthaporn Chattham from the Department of Physics, Faculty of Science at Kasetsart University, along with GISTDA, and NASA.

 

Liquid crystal is one state of matter that has specific properties. That is, it can arrange its molecules in an orderly fashion in some directions like a solid, and can flow in some directions like a liquid, leading to its use in LCD screens on various electronic devices around the world.

 

For this experiment, Dr. Natthaporn stated that she wants to study the imperfections, or defects, in the structure of liquid crystal when there is a sudden change of heat in a thin film while in a low-gravity condition on the International Space Station. This could lead to further development of higher-efficiency technology, such as LCD screens with no defects or the creation of screens in astronauts' helmets.

 

However, sending a payload up for an experiment on the International Space Station is not easy. It has a highly complex and challenging process and procedure, especially the opportunity to have an experiment sent with a spacecraft under the Commercial Resupply Services program, under the direct supervision of NASA. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Natthaporn once said in an interview that, "NASA's programs have very high competition. Suppose 100 projects are proposed, as many as 90% of them will not proceed."

 

To allow the research to proceed, Dr. Natthawat Hongkarnjanakul, space innovation development expert, stated that the role of GISTDA, as Thailand's space agency, has contributed to supporting various aspects in the initial stages to make the project happen, such as engineering work and testing processes in space conditions, which are similar to the design and satellite construction process, the allocation of budget for purchasing equipment for the experiment, and the joint coordination of development that led to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, or MOU, between NASA and Kasetsart University, with GISTDA as the representative of Thailand's space agency to drive the project. 

Because space-related work has quite high expenses, from developing the research concept, building the experimental equipment, going through the safety testing process, sending it up to the International Space Station, all the way to the operation by astronauts, GISTDA and Kasetsart University have proceeded to request budget support. Currently, the Thai Liquid Crystal in Space research has received its main funding support from the Program Management Unit for Human Resources & Institutional Development, Research and Innovation, or PMU-B.

 

In the payload development process, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Natthaporn stated that it must be carried out under NASA's intensive safety certification process, with detailed inspections up to 3 times, along with having to avoid the use of materials that might risk causing a fire or leaking out into the station's atmosphere. This required the research team to cleverly adapt equipment so as not to create safety risks, while still maintaining the best possible efficiency for collecting research data.

 

GISTDA, which has experience in developing satellites for use in space, as well as overseeing the operations of the National Satellite Assembly and Test Center, has played a role in supporting and transferring various bodies of knowledge together with the research team of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Natthaporn, who developed the payload. This included purchasing a KERMIT microscope from the Leidos company, the same model used on the International Space Station, so that the research team could come and develop the payload with GISTDA. Mr. Jiroj Thongta, an engineer from GISTDA, specifically supported and oversaw the payload development, working and transferring knowledge with the research team.

 

As for the Thailand Liquid Crystal in Space research, it is currently in the process of waiting to be sent up to the International Space Station with the Cygnus NG-23 spacecraft, an unmanned transport vehicle from the Northrop Grumman company, on September 15th, before the research is taken to be operated by astronauts, in order to bring the obtained data back to develop various technologies to be more efficient in the next step.

 

Dr. Natthawat from GISTDA added that, "This research is like a milestone showing that Thailand can do it, building confidence on a global level. And we want to have more researchers like Assoc. Prof. Dr. Natthaporn entered the space industry, to generate research and knowledge that became a joint effort to make Thailand stronger. This project is a good example of the Thai government's research investment that serves as a mechanism to extend bilateral and international cooperation." It has been connected to the Artemis program, in which Thailand has joined as one of the members of the Artemis Accords. This Thai research might be a starting point that leads to cooperation in developing research that, this time, can look as far as the moon, and perhaps to Mars in the near future.

 

For future projects, GISTDA, as the nation's space agency, is ready to be a connection point and to support the creation of research through the transfer of engineering knowledge, coordination with various related agencies, as well as joint research to obtain scientific knowledge, just like the research of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Natthaporn, who once provided the information that, "We are building personnel with advanced knowledge that is internationally accepted, because we have to make NASA accept us."

 

Come and join in cheering for and following the success of this project, as well as more details of the Thailand Liquid Crystal in Space research, the pride of the Thai people, on GISTDA's fan page and other online channels.

Scheduled to launch on September 15, the Cygnus NG-23 mission will carry an experiment designed by Thai researchers for astronauts aboard the International Space Station to conduct in orbit.

 

The experiment, known as ‘Thailand Liquid Crystal in Space’ (TLC), is a study of liquid crystals in the microgravity environment of the International Space Station. The project is a collaboration between a research team led by Associate Professor Dr. Natthaporn Chattham from the Department of Physics, Faculty of Science at Kasetsart University, along with GISTDA, and NASA.

 

Liquid crystal is one state of matter that has specific properties. That is, it can arrange its molecules in an orderly fashion in some directions like a solid, and can flow in some directions like a liquid, leading to its use in LCD screens on various electronic devices around the world.

 

For this experiment, Dr. Natthaporn stated that she wants to study the imperfections, or defects, in the structure of liquid crystal when there is a sudden change of heat in a thin film while in a low-gravity condition on the International Space Station. This could lead to further development of higher-efficiency technology, such as LCD screens with no defects or the creation of screens in astronauts' helmets.

 

However, sending a payload up for an experiment on the International Space Station is not easy. It has a highly complex and challenging process and procedure, especially the opportunity to have an experiment sent with a spacecraft under the Commercial Resupply Services program, under the direct supervision of NASA. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Natthaporn once said in an interview that, "NASA's programs have very high competition. Suppose 100 projects are proposed, as many as 90% of them will not proceed."

 

To allow the research to proceed, Dr. Natthawat Hongkarnjanakul, space innovation development expert, stated that the role of GISTDA, as Thailand's space agency, has contributed to supporting various aspects in the initial stages to make the project happen, such as engineering work and testing processes in space conditions, which are similar to the design and satellite construction process, the allocation of budget for purchasing equipment for the experiment, and the joint coordination of development that led to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, or MOU, between NASA and Kasetsart University, with GISTDA as the representative of Thailand's space agency to drive the project. 

Because space-related work has quite high expenses, from developing the research concept, building the experimental equipment, going through the safety testing process, sending it up to the International Space Station, all the way to the operation by astronauts, GISTDA and Kasetsart University have proceeded to request budget support. Currently, the Thai Liquid Crystal in Space research has received its main funding support from the Program Management Unit for Human Resources & Institutional Development, Research and Innovation, or PMU-B.

 

In the payload development process, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Natthaporn stated that it must be carried out under NASA's intensive safety certification process, with detailed inspections up to 3 times, along with having to avoid the use of materials that might risk causing a fire or leaking out into the station's atmosphere. This required the research team to cleverly adapt equipment so as not to create safety risks, while still maintaining the best possible efficiency for collecting research data.

 

GISTDA, which has experience in developing satellites for use in space, as well as overseeing the operations of the National Satellite Assembly and Test Center, has played a role in supporting and transferring various bodies of knowledge together with the research team of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Natthaporn, who developed the payload. This included purchasing a KERMIT microscope from the Leidos company, the same model used on the International Space Station, so that the research team could come and develop the payload with GISTDA. Mr. Jiroj Thongta, an engineer from GISTDA, specifically supported and oversaw the payload development, working and transferring knowledge with the research team.

 

As for the Thailand Liquid Crystal in Space research, it is currently in the process of waiting to be sent up to the International Space Station with the Cygnus NG-23 spacecraft, an unmanned transport vehicle from the Northrop Grumman company, on September 15th, before the research is taken to be operated by astronauts, in order to bring the obtained data back to develop various technologies to be more efficient in the next step.

 

Dr. Natthawat from GISTDA added that, "This research is like a milestone showing that Thailand can do it, building confidence on a global level. And we want to have more researchers like Assoc. Prof. Dr. Natthaporn entered the space industry, to generate research and knowledge that became a joint effort to make Thailand stronger. This project is a good example of the Thai government's research investment that serves as a mechanism to extend bilateral and international cooperation." It has been connected to the Artemis program, in which Thailand has joined as one of the members of the Artemis Accords. This Thai research might be a starting point that leads to cooperation in developing research that, this time, can look as far as the moon, and perhaps to Mars in the near future.

 

For future projects, GISTDA, as the nation's space agency, is ready to be a connection point and to support the creation of research through the transfer of engineering knowledge, coordination with various related agencies, as well as joint research to obtain scientific knowledge, just like the research of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Natthaporn, who once provided the information that, "We are building personnel with advanced knowledge that is internationally accepted, because we have to make NASA accept us."

 

Come and join in cheering for and following the success of this project, as well as more details of the Thailand Liquid Crystal in Space research, the pride of the Thai people, on GISTDA's fan page and other online channels.