A New Geometric Shape Travels to the International Space Station

This feature caught the attention of the Hungarian space program HUNOR, which proposed bringing a structure shaped like the edge of the f2 cell to the ISS as part of the Axiom-4 mission. The goal was to fill it with water in microgravity and observe how the curved surfaces formed without the interference of the liquid’s weight. The experiment, planned over six months by the Budapest team in collaboration with Axiom Space and NASA, required final adjustments in orbit under the supervision of commander Takuya Onishi and the Axiom-4 crew, with Hungarian astronaut Tibor Kapu playing a key role. The results exceeded expectations. The absence of gravity allowed the water to take on configurations impossible on Earth, revealing how minimal surfaces distribute themselves within a volume as unusual as a soft cell.

Such a unique experiment naturally raises the question: how was the soft cell made? Official sources do not specify the exact method used to create the 3D figure. However, this type of prototype is generally produced using 3D printing, as the technique allows highly complex geometries to be reproduced with precision and speed. Moreover, the ISS has been using additive manufacturing for many experiments, both on the ground and in orbit, which makes it highly likely that this project used it as well.