Stuttgart students test innovative pump systems in weightlessness

Stuttgart students test innovative pump systems in weightlessness

Students at the University of Stuttgart are about to reach an exciting climax in their research in the field of space travel. The team specializes in testing ferrofluid-based pump systems that are to be tested in weightlessness. These tests will take place during an upcoming launch of the REXUS sounding rocket scheduled between March 10 and 15, 2025 from the European Spaceport in Esrange. The exact start dates depend on the weather, but preparations are on track, as project manager Johannes Schubert emphasizes.

On March 3rd, the team went to Sweden to make final preparations. A shaker test in Bremen had previously ensured that all participating university groups were able to test their experiments under extreme conditions. During the flight at an altitude of around 90 kilometers, the students have a time window of three minutes for their tests. LIVE reporting will take place via the University of Stuttgart's Instagram channel to allow those interested to take part in the event.

Research on ferrofluids in weightlessness

As part of the project entitled “Ferrofluid Application Study” (FerrAS), students are researching the performance of ferrofluid-based pump systems in space. The aim is to demonstrate that these technologies are more powerful and require less maintenance than traditional, mechanical pumping systems, which are often prone to malfunctions due to their complexity. The FerrAS team is one of eight European teams in the REXUS/BEXUS program and is conducting its experiments for the first time at an altitude where weightlessness exists, which has been a key research goal since the Institute of Space Systems (IRS) was founded in 2017.

The challenges of transporting liquids in space are diverse. In addition to the innovative pump systems, the team is testing a mixture of ethanol and water as a working fluid. A sealed container of classic Stuttgart Gin will be on board as a reference liquid. This choice symbolizes an interesting connection between regional characteristics and cutting-edge research.

Testing new pump concepts

The FerrAS project is testing two novel pump designs: the positive displacement pump and the linear pump. The positive displacement pump uses ferrofluid coated magnets that are controlled by external electromagnets. This design minimizes mechanical wear and contributes to the efficiency of the system. The linear pump, on the other hand, uses a ferrofluid reservoir that is fixed by permanent magnets. Electromagnets create a magnetic wave in the ferrofluid, which drives a non-magnetic working medium and enables precise position control.

Previous projects such as PAPELL 2018 and the FARGO experiment conducted last year had already provided important insights. These experiments were used to control movements of ferrofluids in microgravity and to test systems on the International Space Station.

With the upcoming tests, the FerrAS team hopes to achieve a groundbreaking development in the efficiency and reliability of liquid transport systems in space, potentially opening up far-reaching applications in space travel.