During a press briefing on March 2, NASA officials and company representatives discussed some of the 20 projects headed to the International Space Station (ISS). One of those experiments, launched by Delta Faucet Co., is designed to investigate the formation of water droplets, water flow and pressure in microgravity.

According to a Delta Faucet press release from July 2018, the experiment will leverage the company's proprietary H₂OKinetic Technology to shed light on water flow in microgravity and how to deliver an enhanced shower experience for consumers. Delta Faucet created H₂OKinetic Technology to sculpt shower water into a unique pattern by manipulating the size of water droplets, providing three times the coverage of a standard shower head. However, in space, the impact of gravity on water droplet formation and size has the potential to transform the technology into something never seen before.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with CASIS – manager of the International Space Station U.S. National Laboratory – and are eager to send our innovative technology to space to glean unique research and insights,” said Paul Patton, senior manager of innovation and regulatory for Delta Faucet Company (retired). “The results of this investigation will be incredibly important to our future work at Delta Faucet. The potential to expand our knowledge of how water droplets are formed, and potentially enhance everyday experiences in the shower, will increase the boundaries of our technology and the impact we can make for consumers.”

According to the same press release, Delta Faucet is launching the microgravity investigation with the help of the ISS U.S. National Laboratory and CASIS officials, astronauts, and investigators from dlhBOWLES. Once the testing is complete, the same study will be conducted on Earth in order to compare results.

“The research Delta Faucet and CASIS will compile this year has the potential to truly impact the plumbing industry as well as other spray applications,” said Russell Hester, director of business development at dlhBOWLES. “As a key player in fluid management systems, we are fascinated with the opportunities research in a microgravity situation will uncover.”

Results of the testing will be made final after a successful launch to the ISS.