On board the Blue Origin rocket launched from West Texas on Saturday was an experiment created by University of Central Florida scientists studying how planets form.
The sub-orbital capsule experiences a few moments of weightlessness after launch. The UCF-born experiment shoots a ball at a container of dust to see how the particles react in a low-gravity environment.
The principle investigator, Josh Colwell, hopes the findings help understand how planets and planetary rings form.
The Blue Origin rocket, called New Shepard, launched and landed from West Texas. It is the third time this booster has flown. The company hopes rocket re-usability will decrease the cost of launches.
SpaceX succeeded in safely landing a booster last year.
