Design of a silica-aerogel-based cosmic dust collector for the Tanpopo mission aboard the International Space Station

TL;DR

This paper details the development and testing of a silica-aerogel cosmic dust collector designed for the Tanpopo mission on the ISS, emphasizing production, durability, and environmental resilience.

Contribution

It introduces a new two-layer hydrophobic silica aerogel with specific density properties and demonstrates its successful performance under vibration and pressure conditions simulating space environment.

Findings

Produced over 100 undamaged aerogel units

Passed vibration and pressure tests simulating launch and space conditions

Designed a durable collector compatible with ISS exposure requirements

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/cm$^3$, 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.