“Historic Moment! Kasetsart University and NASA Launch ‘Liquid Crystals’ into Space”

A Historic First for Thai and Global Space Exploration
On September 15, 2025, at 5:11 AM Thailand time, history was made when the payload “TLC” (Thailand Liquid Crystals in Space)—a liquid crystal experiment developed by Thai researchers—was successfully launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA.

This 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, heading toward the International Space Station (ISS).

Thai Delegation Witnesses the Launch

A Thai delegation attended the launch to bear witness and celebrate the achievement, led by Dr. Damrong Sripraram, Acting President of Kasetsart University, along with Assoc. Prof. Dr. Krit Won-in, Vice President for Innovation and Social Engagement; Prof. Dr. Kornsorn Srikulnath, Assistant to the President for Research and Internationalization; and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Wanchai Pluempanupat, Dean of the Faculty of Science. Supporting agencies were also represented, including Prof. Dr. Sompong Klaynongsruang, Director of TSRI; Dr. Nirawat Thamjak, Director of PMU-C; and Dr. Damrongrit Niammuad, 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, congratulated Thailand on this success.

TLC Mission Overview

Associate Professor Dr. Nattaporn Chattham, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, and head of the TLC project, explained that the payload will be tested in space for three months, totaling 144 hours of experiments. The mission will be conducted by NASA astronauts in collaboration with Thai researchers and Kasetsart University students working from the Payload Operation Control Center at Voyager Technologies in Houston, Texas, and the ISS Microscope Control Center at BioServe Space Technologies in Boulder, Colorado—both companies operating under NASA’s supervision.

Payload Design

The TLC payload for studying liquid crystals under microgravity consists of two main components:

• Control Module: Supplies electricity, water, and air to the Image Module. Weighing about 15.7 kg, it is shaped like a rectangular box (330 mm wide, 417 mm long, 190 mm high). During experiments, it is mounted on the door panel of the KERMIT (Keyence Research Microscope Testbed) rack.

• Image Module: Responsible for dispensing liquid crystal substances onto perforated plates to form thin films, and for circulating vapor and air during experiments. The base plate is designed to be fixed inside the KERMIT microscope using metal fixtures, with a transparent polycarbonate cover added during transport for protection. The module weighs about 4.0 kg, with dimensions of 165 mm × 182.5 mm × 48 mm.

Both modules draw power from the ISS’s 28-volt DC supply, with NASA authorizing up to 120 watts. The experiment will be conducted in at least 48 sessions, each lasting three hours, totaling 144 hours. Data and commands will be transmitted between ground control and the ISS via uplink and downlink systems, with results recorded in high-resolution video stored on a 6 TB SSD hard drive.

Return to Earth

The TLC payload will return to Earth aboard the SpaceX CRS-33 mission in January 2026, together with the SSD containing all experimental data. The drive will then be delivered to Thailand for further analysis by the research team and Kasetsart University students.