Comet Ejecta and Crater in Aerogel
Aerogel is used on the STARDUST spacecraft to capture comet particles from Comet Wild 2. Spectacular image of a particle that had penetrated the aluminum foil holding the aerogel block, leaving an impact crater in the foil and ejecta in the aerogel. Aerogel is a synthetic porous ultralight material derived from a gel, in which the liquid component of the gel has been replaced with a gas. The result is a solid with extremely low density and thermal conductivity. It is nicknamed frozen smoke, solid smoke, solid air or blue smoke owing to its translucent nature and the way light scatters in the material; however, it feels like expanded polystyrene (styrofoam) to the touch. NASA used aerogel to trap space dust particles aboard the Stardust spacecraft. The particles vaporize on impact with solids and pass through gases, but can be trapped in aerogels. NASA also used aerogel for thermal insulation of the Mars Rover and space suits.
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Photo credit: © Photo Researchers / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
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