Design of a Silica-aerogel-based Cosmic Dust Collector for the Tanpopo Mission Aboard the International Space Station

Makoto TABATA; Eiichi IMAI; Hajime YANO; Hirofumi HASHIMOTO; Hideyuki KAWAI; Yuko KAWAGUCHI; Kensei KOBAYASHI; Hajime MITA; Kyoko OKUDAIRA; Satoshi SASAKI; Hikaru YABUTA; Shin-ichi YOKOBORI; Akihiko YAMAGISHI

doi:10.2322/tastj.12.Pk_29

k) Science and Technology for Human and Robotic Space Exploration

Design of a Silica-aerogel-based Cosmic Dust Collector for the Tanpopo Mission Aboard the International Space Station

Makoto TABATA, Eiichi IMAI, Hajime YANO, Hirofumi HASHIMOTO, Hideyuki KAWAI, Yuko KAWAGUCHI, Kensei KOBAYASHI, Hajime MITA, Kyoko OKUDAIRA, Satoshi SASAKI, Hikaru YABUTA, Shin-ichi YOKOBORI, Akihiko YAMAGISHI

Author information

Makoto TABATA
Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
Department of Physics, Chiba University
Eiichi IMAI
Department of Bioengineering, Nagaoka University of Technology
Hajime YANO
Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
Hirofumi HASHIMOTO
Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
Hideyuki KAWAI
Department of Physics, Chiba University
Yuko KAWAGUCHI
Department of Applied Molecular Biology, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences
Kensei KOBAYASHI
Department of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Life Science, Yokohama National University
Hajime MITA
Department of Life, Environment and Materials Science, Fukuoka Institute of Technology
Kyoko OKUDAIRA
Office for Planning and Management, University of Aizu
Satoshi SASAKI
School of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Tokyo University of Technology
Hikaru YABUTA
Department of Earth and Space Science, Osaka University
Shin-ichi YOKOBORI
Department of Applied Molecular Biology, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences
Akihiko YAMAGISHI
Department of Applied Molecular Biology, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences

Keywords: Silica Aerogel, Cosmic Dust, Astrobiology, International Space Station, Tanpopo

JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

2014 Volume 12 Issue ists29 Pages Pk_29-Pk_34

DOI https://doi.org/10.2322/tastj.12.Pk_29

Details

Abstract

We are developing a silica-aerogel-based cosmic dust collector for use in the Tanpopo experiment to be conducted on the International Space Station. The mass production of simple two-layer hydrophobic aerogels was undertaken in a contamination-controlled environment, yielding more than 100 undamaged products. The collector, comprising an aerogel tile and holder panel, was designed to resist launch vibration and to conform to an exposure attachment. To this end, a box-framing aerogel with inner and outer densities of 0.01 and 0.03 g/cm³, respectively, was fabricated. The aerogel mounted in the panel passed random vibration tests at the levels of the acceptance and qualification tests for launch. It also withstood the pressure changes expected in the airlock on the International Space Station.

Corresponding author

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