Microgravity-as-a-Platform. We simplify access to space.
Zero gravity. Infinite possibilities.
The unique weightlessness of objects in space reveals a number of physical phenomena that are not observed naturally on Earth, thereby presenting previously unimaginable opportunities for scientists, innovators, and entrepreneurs to pursue revolutionary breakthroughs.
What can you do in microgravity?
Platform
Space presents opportunities previously made unimaginable, much less accessible, by gravity. How might the following physical phenomena only afforded by microgravity help you forge a breakthrough in your research, or gain a decisive competitive edge in your product development?
Sedimentation
The absence of sedimentation in microgravity enables researchers to combine any number of substances that would normally be extremely challenging or impossible to mix evenly on Earth.
Buoyancy & Convection
Absence of buoyant forces in an orbiting spacecraft eliminates convection currents – the gravity-driven movement of fluids due to temperature gradients and density differences.
Containerless Processing
Microgravity makes it easy to levitate materials, eliminating the need for containers. Containerless processing provides an ultrapure, contaminant-free environment for manufacturing or study of materials in their molten state.
Directionality
On Earth, the gravity force is equilibrated by an equal and opposite ground reaction force. In space, a spacecraft in free-fall results in weightlessness. It also results in a loss of directionality. There is no “up” or “down” on-board a space station.
Hydrostatic Pressure
In a gravity field, the weight of the fluid on top pushes down on the fluid below it, resulting in hydrostatic pressure gradients. In microgravity, hydrostatic pressure is nearly eliminated, permitting secondary forces like diffusion and surface tension to dominate.
Surface Tension
When stronger forces such as hydrostatic pressure are removed in microgravity, weaker forces such as surface tension can dominate and govern the behavior of fluids in a weightless environment.
Shear Stress
Shear stresses form due to tangential stress created by reaction forces on fluid container walls and/or the weight of the fluid. In microgravity, shear stresses are significantly reduced due to reduced potential for surface contact with the fluid container.
Protein Crystallization in Space
Protein crystals produced in a microgravity environment grow larger with fewer defects, yielding higher-quality crystals for diffraction than their Earth-bound counterparts.
Axiom provides a microgravity platform for entrepreneurial individuals and companies to gain a competitive advantage through breakthrough innovations.