“Marking a historic moment: Kasetsart University welcomed by NASA for its liquid crystal experiment in space.”

On September 15, 2025, a historic first for both Thai and global space exploration was recorded when the payload “TLC” (Thailand Liquid Crystals in Space) — a liquid crystal experiment in space developed by Thai researchers — was successfully launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, United States, at 5:11 AM Thailand time.

The mission is part of NASA’s Commercial Resupply Service (CRS) program. The TLC payload was carried aboard Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus spacecraft, flight NG-23, and launched into orbit by SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, en route to the International Space Station (ISS).

    A Thai delegation joined as witnesses and to celebrate this historic success, including representatives from Kasetsart University led by Dr. Damrong Sriphraram, Acting President of Kasetsart University, along with Associate Professor Dr. Krit Wanin, Vice President for Innovation and Social Engagement; Professor Dr. Khonsorn Srikulnath, Assistant to the President for Research and Internationalization; and Associate Professor Dr. Wanchai Pluempanupat, Dean of the Faculty of Science. Supporting agencies were also present, including Professor Dr. Sompong Klai-Nongsuang, Director of NRCT; Dr. Nirawat Thamjak, Director of PMU-C; and Dr. Damrongrit Niammod, Deputy Director of GISTDA. On this occasion, Dr. Robyn Gatens, NASA ISS Director, and Mr. Robert Hampton, Director of Payload Operations at the U.S. ISS National Lab, also expressed their congratulations on the achievement.

     Associate Professor Dr. Natthaphon Chatraem, Head of the TLC project from the Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, stated:
“During the pre-launch briefing, NASA officially welcomed the team from Thailand. At that moment, I felt deeply moved that after more than six years of effort, our Thai team was finally recognized and welcomed by a world-class space agency as part of the ISS research program. The historic moment when the Falcon 9 lifted off was profoundly emotional—it symbolized that my team and I had overcome countless challenges and proven that Thailand can be recognized on the global stage.”

The TLC payload will be tested in space for three months, with a total of 144 experimental hours. The research will be conducted by NASA astronauts in collaboration with Thai researchers and Kasetsart University students stationed on the ground at the Payload Operation Control Center of Voyager Technologies in Houston, Texas, and the ISS Microscope Control Center of BioServe Space Technologies in Boulder, Colorado—both companies operating under NASA’s oversight.

The TLC payload consists of two main components: the Control Module and the Image Module.

• The Control Module, weighing approximately 15.7 kilograms, supplies electricity, water, and air to the Image Module. It has a rectangular box shape measuring 330 mm wide, 417 mm long, and 190 mm high, and during the experiment will be mounted on the door wall of the KERMIT (Keyence Research Microscope Testbed) rack.

• The Image Module, weighing about 4.0 kilograms and measuring 165 mm wide, 182.5 mm long, and 48 mm high, is responsible for dispensing liquid crystal substances onto perforated plates to form thin films, as well as delivering vapor and air for experiments. The base plate of the Image Module is designed to mount securely inside the KERMIT microscope using metal fixtures. For transport, a transparent polycarbonate cover was installed to protect the plate.

Both modules are powered by the ISS’s 28-volt DC system, with NASA authorizing up to 120 watts of usage. The experiment is planned for at least 48 sessions, each lasting three hours, totaling 144 hours. During operations, experimental results will be recorded, and commands can be uplinked from ground control to the ISS, with continuous monitoring via downlink. High-resolution video data will be stored on a 6 TB SSD hard drive.

The TLC payload will return to Earth aboard the SpaceX CRS-33 mission in January 2026, together with the SSD containing the experimental data. Upon arrival in Thailand, the research team and students will analyze the results for further study and innovation.