Bangkok, September 21, 2025 — SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket has successfully carried Thailand’s Liquid Crystals in Space (TLC) experiment to the International Space Station (ISS), marking a historic step in the country’s space research.

The experiment, developed by researchers at Kasetsart University in partnership with the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) and NASA, aims to study the behavior of liquid crystals in microgravity. In particular, scientists will investigate defect formation in thin films—a breakthrough that could pave the way for next-generation LCD technologies.

The mission was launched at 05:02 a.m. Thailand time from Cape Canaveral, Florida, aboard Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus NG-23 resupply spacecraft. The TLC experiment will operate for three months on the ISS, with 144 hours of dedicated observation time.

Data and experimental samples are expected to return to Earth in early 2026 for further analysis by Thai scientists.

Officials hailed the mission as a proud milestone for Thailand, demonstrating the nation’s growing role in advancing global science and technology beyond Earth’s atmosphere.