Low-pressure ion mobility spectrometer for in-situ organic analysis

We aim to develop a compact instrument that will fit within the payload capacity of future in situ mobility platforms or enable smaller, cost-efficient missions that will perform sensitive in-situ measurements of organics, including organic biosignatures. In-situ mobility platforms have the unique capability to venture into protected environments such as lava tubes or caves on planetary bodies such as Mars. These sheltered areas are particularly interesting for life detection efforts because they offer protection from harsh surface conditions, potentially preserving signs of past or present life. Unfortunately, capable analyzers such as mass spectrometers may exceed the payload capacity of such missions, so more compact instruments are needed. To achieve this goal, we will develop an ion mobility spectrometer based on lab-on-a-printed-circuit-board (Lo-PCB) technology. Here, molecules are separated by their size, shape, and charge as they travel through a gas under the influence of an electric field. The separation enables the ability to analyze complex samples and identify organics according to their mobilities. Detection of a wide range of organics, such as fatty acids, amino acids, and larger peptides up to 3000 Da, is possible. Contrary to ion mobility technology often used in portable and handheld devices relying on Earth ambient pressure (760 Torr), we will leverage traveling wave ion mobility spectrometry (TWIMS) that operates at a lower pressure (5 Torr) and can be used directly in the Martian environment. Mars' CO2-rich atmosphere can be used as a buffer gas in our TWIMS system, and no additional buffer gas is needed. It reduces complexity, size, weight, and power requirements compared to traditional vacuum-based analytical instruments, such as mass spectrometers. To close the gap in sensitivity between the LoPCB-TWIMS instrument and MS, we will incorporate a LoPCB-ion funnel and ion accumulation to enhance the signal. Furthermore, the inherent properties of TWIMS allow for the separation of chiral amino acids, a high-priority biosignature, which will also be demonstrated. The instrument will be developed for Mars applications but adaptable to higher-pressure environments such as Titan or airless bodies. This compact and efficient technology allows for the direct analysis of complex organic molecules and potential biosignatures in previously inaccessible locations, offering a new pathway to explore the subterranean worlds of Mars and beyond, where conditions may be more favorable for preserving traces of past life. This directly responds to future possibilities highlighted in the Planetary Decadal Survey. The instrument will be matured from TRL 2 to TRL 4 and would enhance or enable the scientific return from future planetary missions, as the PICASSO program desires.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

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