FLUID PHYSICS EXPERIMENTS ON JAPANESE EXPERIMENTALMODULE 'KIBO' ABOARD THE ISS

摘要

The present authors' group has investigated andprepared towards an on-orbit fluid physics experimentin JEM (nicknamed as ‘Kibo,' which means ‘hope' inJapanese) aboard the International Space Station (ISS)as one of the first candidates of JEM utilizationresearch theme. In this study, the authors focus upon thenon-linear behavior of the thermocapillary convectionin a half-zone liquid bridge of high Prandtl numberfluid. The present manuscript introduces scientificobjectives and aspects of this research, and the resultsof the terrestrial research as scientific preparations.