ISS Advances Research Using Light to Steer Bubbles and Rethink Energy Systems

https://issnationallab.org/case_study/advancing-technology-for-clean-energy/ Improving heat management is critical across the energy, aerospace, and advanced manufacturing industries. In our latest case study, researchers from the University of California, Santa Barbara, leveraged the International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory to demonstrate a new way to control fluids—guiding bubbles with light instead of pumps or complex mechanical systems. This low-energy approach could improve power generation, heat exchangers, spacecraft cooling, and data center efficiency. Reducing energy loss and system complexity offers a path to lower costs, better performance, and cleaner energy technologies.