“Our experiments are focused on the cement paste that holds the concrete together. Scientists wanted to know more about how that happens in microgravity.Īn artist’s illustration of the microcrystals that form in concrete as it hardens. But they do know that as it hardens, it forms crystals that interlock with each other, and with the sand and gravel, giving concrete its strength.

Image Credit: NASAĭespite how ubiquitous it is in our modern world, there’s still a lot scientists don’t know about how it works. An artist’s illustration of the ingredients that make cement. That’s why some ancient structures like the Roman aqueducts, which were made partly with concrete, still stand. Combine it all with water, in the right proportions, mix it, and shape it, and when it cures or hardens properly, it’s an extremely strong substance. “Our experiments are focused on the cement paste that holds the concrete together.” Aleksandra Radlinska, Principal Investigator for MICS.Ĭoncrete itself is a mixture an aggregrate, which consists of sand, gravel, and rocks, held together with cement, which comes in two types: Portland cement or geopolymer cement. The results are published in Frontiers in Materials, and is titled, “ Microgravity Effect on Microstructural Development of Tri-calcium Silicate (C 3 S) Paste.” Concrete’s properties on Earth are well-understood, but microgravity presents another set of circumstances. As part of MICS, and a related study called MVP Cell-05, NASA and Pennsylvania State University teamed up with astronauts on the ISS to mix concrete.

Space age concrete