Javier Arocha • Portfolio

About Florida Space Institute

The Florida Space Institute (FSI) is a research institution of the State University System of Florida, established in 1996 to accelerate space exploration and research. FSI supports the development of Florida's space economy across civil, defense, and commercial sectors, conducting research ranging from Earth's upper atmosphere to planetary origins and asteroid dynamics.

FSI houses the Exolith LabÂ®, which produces high-fidelity planetary regolith simulants, and the Stephen W. Hawking Center for Microgravity Research and Education. The institute administratively manages the Florida Space Grant Consortium for NASA and operates the Space Research Initiative for the State of Florida.

As an Engineer Intern, I supported NASA-UCF collaborative research focused on understanding regolith behavior in extreme environments"–specifically zero-gravity and sub-freezing conditions relevant to lunar and Martian exploration missions.

Experimental Hardware Development

Designed and constructed specialized test apparatus to study regolith (planetary soil) behavior under simulated lunar and Martian environmental conditions. This hardware enabled researchers to investigate material interactions critical for future space exploration missions.

Built custom aluminum extrusion test frame for regolith behavior experiments
Integrated sensors, control systems, and data acquisition electronics
Assembled mechanical components for collision and material-interaction testing
Applied engineering fundamentals to troubleshoot and verify experimental equipment
Supported microgravity and sub-freezing environmental simulation capabilities

Research Support & Testing Systems

Contributed to NASA-funded regolith research by implementing control and measurement systems. The experimental setup I helped develop allowed researchers to simulate conditions encountered on the Moon and Mars, advancing our understanding of how to handle and process extraterrestrial materials.

Configured embedded systems and sensors for data collection during experiments
Wired and tested control electronics including Raspberry Pi-based systems
Verified proper operation of mechanical and electrical subsystems
Enabled collision testing and material behavior analysis under controlled conditions
Supported preparation of hardware for zero-gravity and thermal testing