Viscosity Measurement Technique by Merging Liquid Drops Aboard the International Space Station

The efforts reported in this thesis has been to analyze the data from two "Fluid Merging Viscosity Measurement" experiments in order to validate this as a viable method for measuring the viscosity of fluids with known surface tensions. This method involves simultaneously using a numerical analysis code and experimental data to produce matching curves of contact radius versus time and from that a determination of viscosity. Two experiments that were performed, used different liquids (glycerin and 125 Poise silicon oil) and different size ratios between the two drops ( 1 to 1 and O. 3 3 to 1 respectively). The experiments were performed aboard the KC-135 aircraft, "Weightless Wonder", and on the International Space Station. Both experiments produced accurate estimates of the viscosity for the experimental liquids. The glycerin viscosity fell within range of viscosity, which is dependent on temperature. The silicon oil viscosity was predicted to within 5% of its known viscosity value.