NASA / Freelancer Tank Venting in Microgravity Challenge
Transferring liquid propellants in space is not only a fundamental enabler for long-duration missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond, but also a key challenge for human and robotic spaceflight. Effective liquid/gas separation within a spacecraft tank is essential to prevent propellants from venting into space during refueling. At present, however, there is no viable, efficient, multi-use, and reasonably sized solution for venting propellant tanks that don’t rely on bladders or diaphragms.
Funded by the NASA Tech Leap challenge and after winning the NASA / Freelancer Tank Venting in Microgravity Challenge, the “Microgravity Ullage Formation and Trapping” (MUT) project is being pursued by Prof. Kevin Crosby at Carthage College and the LGST Lab to demonstrate a novel non-invasive hydroacoustic phase separation method for ullage control. This approach exploits acoustic forces generated by piezoelectric transducers to create and isolate a secondary ullage at the vent port. The technology will be demonstrated and evaluated aboard a suborbital flight in late 2026.
The successful implementation of acoustic-based ullage control could transform propellant handling in microgravity environments, leading to safer, more efficient fuel transfer and storage for spacecraft, reducing mission risk and enabling longer-duration exploration. Beyond propellant management, these findings may also inspire innovative fluid management solutions in terrestrial and space applications.
Student leads: Justin Wheeler & Joseph Walker Brown