Verification of Molecular Contamination Transport Model

This project will verify adsorption/desorption and degradation behaviors of key organic compounds that are critical to life-detection measurements and incorporate these behaviors as physiochemical parameters in a recently developed high-fidelity contamination transport model for ultra clean spacecraft (Eigenbrode et al., 2021, Frontiers in Space Technology, DOI: 10.3389/frspt.2021.734423). This verification will enable contamination engineering for missions ultra-sensitive to molecular contamination by guiding contamination engineering methods and reducing contamination risk to science investigations. Specific objectives include: 1) characterize the organic residuals remaining on spacecraft surfaces after heating biomolecules to understand the impact of possible contaminants that do not vaporize under spaceflight conditions, and 2) test the efficacy of vacuum bakeout under different physical conditions.

The payoff to NASA is advancements in contamination engineering powered by high-fidelity molecular contamination transport model results and significant risk mitigation to science investigations that are super sensitive to molecular contamination. Results will impact power requirements, ConOps, and contamination requirements of mission concepts being proposed in the future.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 4) — 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.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.