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Completed TRL 4 (started at 3, targeting 4)
The goal of this work has been to interface an ion trap (IT) storage device as a front-end source for a time-of-flight mass spectrometer (TOF-MS), and the resultant ion trap coupled TOF-MS (IT-TOF-MS) is a potentially powerful tool for in situ sample analysis in space. The team will focus on miniaturizing the key components, integration and optimization of the instrument configuration, and demonstration of the performance.
The return on this investment will be the further development of the IT-TOF-MS instrument through any IRAD and/or a PICASSO award would position it for a MatISSE (or comparable) high-TRL development program and eventual flight mission to future astrobiology targets responding to opportunities prioritized in the current Planetary Decadal Survey. This development would put Goddard to the position of being able to offer a truly lightweight (3-4 kg total) and low power (10 W class) instrument for astrobiology investigations on a wide variety of lower-cost space missions.
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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.
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