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Fluid theory confirmed by Foton   False colour images from the Single fluid study, showing temperature fluctuations in a simple, single-component organic fluid on Earth (left) and aboard Foton-M3 (right). The fluctuations in normal gravity on Earth are barely visible.  The Foton M-3 capsule carries a 400 kg European experiment payload with experiments in a range of scientific disciplines - including fluid physics, biology, crystal growth, radiation exposure and exobiology.
The capsule spends 12 days orbiting the Earth, exposing the experiments to microgravity and, in the case of a handful of experiments also exposing them to the harsh environment of open space, before re-entering the atmosphere and landing in the border zone between Russia and Kazakhstan.  False colour images showing concentration fluctuations for the Mixture fluid sample on Earth (left) and aboard Foton-M3 (right).  Preparation of the Foton-M3 spacecraft at Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan. Release date: 26 September 2007 |