Launching Foil Floating Capabilities at the Princeton Space Physics Lab

Abstract

This project aimed to design a standardized foil floating procedure for ultrathin carbon foils. These foils are essential components of space instruments and will be floated by the Princeton Space Physics Lab, which is building space instruments for the 2025 NASA IMAP mission. To achieve this goal, the project was divided into three parts: 1) the construction of a foil floating station, 2) the write-up of a foil floating procedure, and 3) the microscopic analysis of foils to identify foil outcomes. Ultimately, the design and analysis conducted during this project will provide a template for institutions worldwide, starting with the Space Physics Lab, to establish their own foil floating capabilities.