JPL Impact Tower

Our rigging system provides a precise and controlled deceleration mechanism designed to safely capture a mass in free - fall within JPL ’ s Drop Tower. This innovative setup ensures that no structural interference affects the accuracy of the impact data collected. Working with the forces developed by JPL, CRE implemented these forces into a non - linear solver model to evaluate the rigging ’ s capacity and deflection . Our analysis confirmed the components ’ strength and alignment with necessary serviceability standards, offering reliable performance under high - impact conditions. The capability of the system ’ s design can catch the mass traveling with the kinetic energy equivalent of roughly 1/10 th of a stick of dynamite, repeatedly. The rigging system is compris ed of three key assemblies: the bungee assembly, the perimeter rigging, and the circus rig. At its core, the bungee assembly contains four groups of bungee cables arranged in a square formation, with each corner secured to a Corner Box Spade Clevis (CBSC). These bungees are connected to turnbuckles which extend out to the perimeter rigging, providing an effective inner layer of controlled elasticity. The perimeter rigging assembly, composed of Amsteel Blue ropes and Lateral Reaction Compression Rods, forms a stable frame that attaches to the outer circus rig, which is anchored to the ground using ballast and steel columns. Together, these assemblies ensure a safe, stable, and effective deceleration of the falling mass with little impact to the truss super - st ructure, which is also of CRE design