COMPACT LASER LIGHT-SCATTERING INSTRUMENT FOR MICROGRAVITY RESEARCH

NASA has developed a compact laser light-scattering instrument that em ploys both static and dynamic light-scattering techniques for microgra vity research. The first use of this instrument was to study the behav ior of colloidal hard spheres in a reduced gravity environment during the Second United States Microgravity Laboratory space shuttle mission . We discuss the instrument design and possible improvements based on our observations of significant differences between hard-sphere behavi or in Earth's gravity and microgravity. (C) 1997 Optical Society of Am erica.