A current problem that severely affects the performance of spacecraft is related to slosh dynamics in liquid propellant tanks under microgravity conditions. The confidence in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) predictions are low because of the lack of benchmark against experimental data. The goal of the SPHERES Slosh Experiment (SSE) is to acquire long-duration, low-gravity liquid slosh data aboard the International Space Station. The proposed experimental platform consists of a tank, partially filled with fluid, cameras, and inertial sensors to monitor the fluid distribution in the tank. Currently the SSE has passed NASA's Critical Design Review (CDR) and Phase 0/Ⅰ-Ⅱ Flight Safety Review (FSR). The manufacture and qualification testing of the flight article has been completed. The Slosh payload is scheduled to be launched in December 2013 with on-orbit experiments to begin shortly thereafter.
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