COLLISIONAL ACCRETION EXPERIMENT

A Microgravity Experiment on Accretion in Space Environments

K. Lai*, J. Colwell, A. Dove, S. Benjamin, B. Hoover, S. Lane, C. Tiller, A. Whitaker
University of Central Florida Department of Physics

EXPERIMENT DESIGN

ABSTRACT
The early stages of planetesimal formation require the
adhesion of particles through surface contact forces. The
proposed payload, the Collisional Accretion Experiment, is
designed to study the accretion of small particles onto a
larger body in vacuum and microgravity conditions. CATE
was awarded the 2013 Undergraduate Student
Instrumentation Program and flew on a parabolic flight
campaign in the summer of 2014. The payload was
designed to be semi-automatic. Each experiment tube was
designed so that a macroscopic target object was released
via a spring system on one end of the tube shaped payload
in order to traverse a cloud of dust particles at a low
relative velocity. The same sort of collisions of dust particles
with larger objects are believed to be responsible for the
accretion ridges observed on some of the small moons of
Saturn.

BACKGROUND
The CATE experiment was designed to study the efficiency
of accretion of smaller dust particles onto larger objects at
low collision speeds. The standard model of planet
formation proceeds from the gravitational collapse of an
interstellar cloud of gas and dust through collisional
accretion of solids into planetesimals and eventual runaway
growth to form the terrestrial and giant planets (e.g.
Brandner 2006). Models of planetesimal growth by
accretion must assume accretion efficiencies. Our results
will provide accretion efficiencies that depend on collision
velocity, dust particle composition and particle shape, and
accreting mass surface roughness; these values can then be
adapted into planetesimal formation models.

NASA/JPL

Figure 1. Daphnis orbits Saturn in the Keeler Gap within the

A ring.

CATE was selected as part of

the of the 2013 NASA
Undergraduate
Student
Instrumentation Project and
was rewarded a week-long
parabolic flight campaign.
CATE consists of two different components: the
experiment storage unit (ESU) and the experiment test
chamber (ETC).
The ESU houses 12 ETCs in separate PVC holders.
Each ETC contains the following:
a launching mechanism, which releases the target
object during a parabola
a cloud of particles that is suspended in the center of
the tube during the microgravity portion of a
parabola
a capture mechanism to enclose the target and any
accreted dust

STORAGE UNIT
The experiment storage unit is constructed of an outer
frame, PVC holders, and a testing area.
Outer Frame:
34 tall, 25 wide and 24.5 in depth
Built from 1515 series 80/20
Provides the structural robustness needed for the NASA
requirement of withstanding 9Gs
PVC holders:
Houses the experiment test chambers when not in use
Consists of a hinged PVC pipe locked with a brass draw
latch
Testing area:
Backlighting made of LEDs and diffuser paper
Battery power boxes with rocker switches
GoPros and mounts
Experiment mount

TEST CHAMBERS
The experiment test chambers are composed of three
major components: the vacuum tube, launching
mechanism, and capture mechanism.
Vacuum Tube:
The vacuum tube is made of machined polycarbonate
material and bonded with plastic flanges
Aluminum end caps cover both ends of the tube
Launcher side end cap has an electrical feedthrough
Capture side end cap has a vacuum feedthrough

*k.lai@knights.ucf.edu
http://physics.cos.ucf.edu/cate/

Figure 2. Structural analysis of the CATE ESU calculated in

AutoCad software.
Figure 3. CATE ESU onboard a NASA C-9B plane.

UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA

CENTER FOR MICROGRAVITY RESEARCH

The Collisional Accretion Experiment flew on a week long

campaign aboard a NASA funded parabolic flight in the
summer of 2014. Each flight was approximately 40
parabolas, and each parabola provided approximately 30
seconds of microgravity. This flight testing allowed the
experiment to be tested in ideal space conditions that
cannot be experienced in the lab, where gravity makes
these low-velocity collisions impossible.

Launcher Mechanism
Provides the targeting material with an
initial velocity
Trigger system is made of muscle wire, a
shape memory alloy
Targeting material is held within a spring
loaded aluminum housing unit
NASA/JSC

Figure 5. A visual depicting the motion of a parabolic plane

during flight.

Capture Mechanism
Captures the accreting particle at the end
of the experiment to provide quantitative
data
Activated by muscle wire to snap back
into its natural closed position
Mechanism is utilizes extension springs

PROBLEM STATEMENT
The Collisional Accretion Experiment is a student presented
project that generalizes the idea of launching a macroscopic
object through a cloud of dust. This experimental technique
will allow us to study the sticking and accretion of small
particles onto larger accreting bodies, so we can better
understand particle interaction in protoplanetary disks and
planetary ring systems.

TESTING

Figure 4. A schematic of the testing area of the ESU. A three

panel switchboard will provide the power to the
backlighting, launching mechanism and capture
mechanism. The GoPro cameras are left on during the
duration of the flight.

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND

SPACE ADMINISTRATION

NASA/JSC

NASA/JSC

Figure 6. Team CATE running the experiment during a

microgravity parabola.
Figure 7. A CATE experiment in action in microgravity.

CONCLUSION
CATE provided a unique experience to the team of
Undergraduate students. It gave us the opportunity to
design, built and test CATE from beginning to end. Due to
building a majority of the experiment in-house, it taught us
machining, rapid prototyping, project management, and
the importance of working in an multi-disciplinary team.
Future work on the CATE project includes:
Redesigning capture mechanisms to involve less
components
Designing a mechanism to assist with shaking of the
cloud of particles
Refining of post-flight operations