Florida Institute of Technology students developed the Hydrogel Radiation-Shielding Viability Under the Influence of Microgravity experiment after nearly two years of research beginning in January 2025. The experiment was scheduled to launch October 13, 2026, aboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 and Dragon on NASA's CRS-35 resupply mission to the International Space Station. Its 6.7-inch silicone-tube mini-lab holds up to 9.2 milliliters of fluid and tests polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel after hydration in microgravity.[1][2][4]
Water can attenuate radiation because its hydrogen content interacts with incoming particles, while a hydrogel may distribute water in a stable, flexible structure. The central risk is microgravity-induced polymer aggregation: uneven networks could reduce radiation-blocking performance. Returned samples will undergo dynamic light scattering, electron microscopy, and mechanical tensile testing to assess structural integrity, water dependence, and material performance.[1][4][7]
The Ark team should track the CRS-35 experiment's returned-sample data and require follow-on testing under lunar-relevant conditions: vacuum, thermal cycling, partial gravity, micrometeoroid damage, and proton and heavy-ion exposure. Hydrogel candidates should be evaluated not only for shielding effectiveness per unit mass, but also for water retention, repairability, biological compatibility, long-term chemical stability, and integration into habitat walls, spacesuits, rover compartments, and archive vaults.