{"id":708510,"date":"2026-07-24T08:21:14","date_gmt":"2026-07-24T08:21:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/708510\/"},"modified":"2026-07-24T08:21:14","modified_gmt":"2026-07-24T08:21:14","slug":"nasa-astronaut-grows-strange-space-crystals-on-international-space-station","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/708510\/","title":{"rendered":"NASA astronaut grows strange space crystals on International Space Station"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"sub-text\">Don Pettit, a NASA astronaut aboard the International Space Station, conducted a science experiment growing potassium chloride crystals. The crystals developed an unusual structure not seen on Earth typically called &#8220;hopper growth&#8221;.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p data-v-438398f6=\"\">Being in <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fxw_earth-space_article_main-content_article-body_2_2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxweather.com\/earth-space\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">space<\/a> means cool science experiments, and one such experiment conducted by a <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fxw_earth-space_article_main-content_article-body_2_3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxweather.com\/category\/nasa\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">NASA<\/a> astronaut while he was aboard the International Space Station yielded interesting results.<\/p>\n<p data-v-438398f6=\"\">NASA astronaut Don Pettit shared photos and a video on his social media showing crystals made from potassium chloride, exhibiting &#8220;hopper growth,&#8221; which is a phenomenon that happens when in microgravity.<\/p>\n<p data-v-438398f6=\"\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fxw_earth-space_article_main-content_article-body_2_4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxweather.com\/earth-space\/nasa-asteroid-revealed-hidden-comet-planetary-defense\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">NASA SAYS LONGTIME HIDDEN COMET MISTAKEN FOR ASTEROID COULD UNLOCK NEW METHODS FOR PLANETARY DEFENSE<\/a><\/p>\n<p> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"668\" height=\"376\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/screenshot-2026-07-23-at-5.24.26-pm.png\" alt=\"The hopper crystals gaining their unique appearance. \"\/> <\/p>\n<p class=\"title\">The hopper crystals gaining their unique appearance.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"sub-text\"> (@astro_Pettit\/X \/ FOX Weather)<\/p>\n<p data-v-438398f6=\"\">Potassium chloride is often used as a substitute for salt in foods and drinks.<\/p>\n<p data-v-438398f6=\"\">In microgravity, these crystals, which on <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fxw_earth-space_article_main-content_article-body_2_5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxweather.com\/earth-space\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Earth<\/a> would typically grow in an even, solid structure, actually grow faster on their outer edges than in the center, creating a step-like structure.<\/p>\n<p> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"668\" height=\"376\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/hnh7cqtwsaaban6.png\" alt=\"A look at the hopper crystals under an electron microscope.\"\/> <\/p>\n<p class=\"title\">A look at the hopper crystals under an electron microscope.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sub-text\"> (@astro_Pettit \/ FOX Weather)<\/p>\n<p data-v-438398f6=\"\">Electron microscope photos of the crystals give a close-up view of their ornate formation, creating a C-shape in stepped crystals.<\/p>\n<p data-v-438398f6=\"\">Hopper growth can be seen in multiple different materials, not just potassium chloride. Other substances that can experience hopper growth include gold, bismuth, quartz and more.<\/p>\n<p data-v-438398f6=\"\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fxw_earth-space_article_main-content_article-body_2_6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxweather.com\/earth-space\/how-many-space-launches-month-july-kalshi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">BUSY JULY KEEPS US COMMERCIAL SPACE LAUNCHES ON A RAPID PACE<\/a><\/p>\n<p data-v-438398f6=\"\">Timelapse footage of the crystals in a water solution shows them gaining their unique structure.<\/p>\n<p data-v-438398f6=\"\">Pettit said that the crystalline structure reminded him of an inverted Mesoamerican pyramid.<\/p>\n<p> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"668\" height=\"376\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/hnhw3jrxwaaumfa.png\" alt=\"A look at the hopper crystals under an electron microscope.\"\/> <\/p>\n<p class=\"title\">A look at the hopper crystals under an electron microscope.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sub-text\"> (@astro_Pettit \/ FOX Weather)<\/p>\n<p data-v-438398f6=\"\">Pettit returned to Earth in April 2025 after a seven-month mission on the International Space Station.<\/p>\n<p data-v-438398f6=\"\">NASA said during his time aboard the space station, Pettit did a lot of helpful work for NASA&#8217;s future missions.<\/p>\n<p data-v-438398f6=\"\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fxw_earth-space_article_main-content_article-body_2_7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxweather.com\/earth-space\/hatchling-tyrannosaurus-rex-foot-bone-discovery-science-research-museum\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">FIRST-KNOWN FOOT BONE OF A BABY T. REX FOUND STASHED IN PILE OF FOSSILS AFTER BEING MISTAKENLY IDENTIFIED<\/a><\/p>\n<p data-v-438398f6=\"\">He also used his surroundings aboard the station to conduct unique experiments in his spare time and captivate the public with his photography, NASA said.<\/p>\n<p> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"668\" height=\"376\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/iss072e350835orig-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Dec. 7, 2024) --- NASA astronaut and Expedition 72 Flight Engineer Don Pettit points a camera outside a window on the International Space Station's Poisk module for a sun photography session.\"\/> <\/p>\n<p class=\"title\">iss072e350835 (Dec. 7, 2024) &#8212; NASA astronaut and Expedition 72 Flight Engineer Don Pettit points a camera outside a window on the International Space Station&#8217;s Poisk module for a sun photography session.<\/p>\n<p data-v-438398f6=\"\">Science experiments are a crucial part of the research astronauts do on the International Space Station. NASA itself calls ISS Earth&#8217;s &#8220;state-of-the-art orbiting laboratory.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p data-v-438398f6=\"\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fxw_earth-space_article_main-content_article-body_2_8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxweather.com\/how-to-watch-fox-weather-on-tv\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">HOW TO WATCH FOX WEATHER<\/a><\/p>\n<p data-v-438398f6=\"\">One of the main points of research for astronauts aboard ISS was <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fxw_earth-space_article_main-content_article-body_2_9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/missions\/station\/creating-new-and-better-drugs-with-protein-crystal-growth-experiments\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">growing protein crystals<\/a> and studying how their structure varied on Earth and in space.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Don Pettit, a NASA astronaut aboard the International Space Station, conducted a science experiment growing potassium chloride crystals.&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":708511,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[165073,92,90,416,13991,49861,165075,56,54,55,71],"class_list":["post-708510","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-space","tag-earth-space","tag-nasa","tag-science","tag-space","tag-space-weather","tag-spaceflight","tag-stay22","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom","tag-world"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/708510","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=708510"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/708510\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/708511"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=708510"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=708510"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=708510"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}