DEI has long term contracts with Marshall Space Flight Center , Goddard Space Flight Center and NASA Johnson Space Center for ground test and space flight hardware.
Space dust collides with a wide variety of substance samples exposed inside the boxes.
Analysis of the samples helps engineers gauge the effects of the space dust on the substances, and thus provides insight into development of longer-lasting surfaces that will better protect future international space stations. Fabrication of these boxes was difficult due to the thin walls. Space hardware frequently presents these challenges because optimal weight is a major consideration. DEI's Huntsville fabrication facility was the focal point for this important project. After being tested in DEI's fixture, the flight components were launched in 1997.