Using
a special NASA Glenn DC-9 aircraft, researchers found out exactly what happens
when a water ballon is popped in a low-gravity, space-like environment. Why?
The tests were conducted, in part, to develop the ability to rapidly deploy
large liquid drops by rupturing an enclosing membrane.
The aircraft used to perform the tests flies parabolic trajectories approximately
8,000 feet in the air, which provide up to 25 seconds of low-gravity time
within which researchers can perform experiments to investigate low-gravity
phenomena.
What happened after the water-filled balloon was ruptured simultaneously at
opposite ends using syringe needles was "captivating enough that no effort
was made to 'bag the blob' prior to the end of the low-g period." See the
fascinating pictures for yourself at the link below--it's no ordinary water-balloon
fight! NASA Glenn
Research Center