ISS Science for Everyone

https://www.nasa.gov/mission/station/research-explorer/investigation/?#id=2034 Aerosols are small particles suspended in the air, and in Earth’s atmosphere, aerosols include soot, dust, pollen and a wide range of other natural and human-made materials. But smoke does not rise and dust does not settle in microgravity the way they do on Earth, causing aerosols to behave differently and pose hazards for crew members breathing the air. The Aerosol Sampling Experiment (Aerosol Sampler) collects airborne particles in the International Space Station’s (ISS) cabin air, and returns them to Earth so scientists can study the particles with powerful microscopes. For this experiment, particles collected on the cabin air samples are analyzed using a variety of microscopic techniques including: light microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, computer controlled scanning electron microscopy; and scanning transmission electron microscopy.