Electro-Kinetic Ice Gun for Frozen Ice Plume Simulations

This proposal evolved as a result of a conversation with a NASA scientist regarding plans for a mission to one of several icy moons in the solar system to seek signs of life based on observed water plume emissions. In preparation for such a mission, spacecraft will have to pass through clouds of ice particulates, which will pose challanges in organic species collection, and possible damage to instruments. Accordingly, there is a need for simulating the production of hyper velocity ice in the size range of 50nm through 2 microns. The NASA Ames Vertical Gun Range was designed to propell solid projectiles for studying the effects of meteorite impacts on celestial bodies and potential micro-meteoroid damage to spacecraft. “At the far end of the barrel, a gunpowder explosion is used to compress hydrogen gas to as much as 1 million times atmospheric pressure, firing a projectile pellet at speeds between 7,000 and 15,000 mph”. This approach is not suitable for ice particles, so we have developed a novel ice gun using electrosprays that can achieve a hyper velocity net result without damage to the sample grain.

In order for NASA to probe plumes that produce ice particulates, a source for creating high speed particles is required to see whether a spacecraft can pass through and collect samples without denaturing the trace organics sought that may indicate the presence of life. Our system offers a means to create a bolt-on "ice-gun" source for any NASA facility, allowing studies on water fountain emissions, but for the simulation of comet tail media, organic molecule production from hyper-velocity impacts, and for re-entry simulation research.

Non-NASA applications might include possible micro cleaning applications like particulate bombardment on silicon chips or other surfaces in vacuum. Of greater potential use, is a new application for ambient pathogen air sampling, ionization, sorting, and characterization to yield near real-time infectious disease analysis.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 6) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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