It looks like you're using an Ad Blocker.
Please white-list or disable AboveTopSecret.com in your ad-blocking tool.
Thank you.
Some features of ATS will be disabled while you continue to use an ad-blocker.
Observation and Analysis of Smectic Islands In Space (OASIS) studies the unique behavior of liquid crystals in microgravity, including their overall motion and the merging of crystal layers known as smectic islands. Liquid crystals are used for display screens in televisions and clocks, and they also occur in soaps and in cell membranes. The experiment allows detailed studies of the behavior of these structures, and how microgravity affects their unique ability to act like both a liquid and a solid crystal.
www.nasa.gov...
Space Applications
Future space helmets may use certain types of liquid crystals in small display screens directly applied to the face shield where astronauts can easily view them. Understanding how liquid crystals behave in microgravity helps researchers to design liquid crystal displays (LCDs) that can perform better in space.