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Completed TRL 3 (started at 2, targeting 3)
The goal of this early stage innovation IRAD is to advance the development of new, extremely small, low power, and low cost "micro" mass spectrometer instrument systems (µMSIS) through the application of MEMS design and fabrication, and microsystem component integration and packaging, toward Pico-Satellite and/or other distributed planetary payload platforms. We propose to develop a MEMS uMSIS packaging concept that is modular and flexible to further integration of a micro gas chromatograph, micro mass analyzer, and microelectronic components, into a complete instrument system Pico-Satellite probe array.
The project aims to develop a miniature packaging platform for the integration of MEMS mass spectrometer components to form the basis of a Micro Mass Spectrometer System for small, low mass, low power deployable sensor array applications. Miniaturized packaging of MEMS mass spectrometer components into a functional mass spectrometer microsystem will be achieved through MEMS fabrication and miniaturized custom electronic and vacuum housing techniques.
The outcome of this IRAD can be used for application to missions as described in the planetary Decadal Survey. For example, an array of packaged Pico-Satellite µMSIS could be deployed on the surface of Titan or Enceladus, to generate a powerful map of the surface chemical composition, probing heterogeneity in a way a single instrument may not be able to, and/or feeding into science operations including trades for more resource consumptive and costly instrument deployment, such as limited-use drilling or chemical sample preparation protocols.
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