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Completed TRL 2 (started at 2, targeting 3)
The Applied Chemistry Laboratory (ACL) at NASA KSC explored the development and validation testing of an advanced, low parts per billion (ppb) hypergol detection system with desired high stability. The team coordinated the development and integration of a plasma-based ion source and a dual stage, differential mass spectrometer for testing. The NASA team performed a variety of tests that determined the limit of detection and any interferences under differing sample gas flow rates, humidity content, and concentrations to elude the operation regime of the device.
The technical goal is to develop an advanced, tandem differential mobility spectrometer (DMS) for hypergol detection with a goal of maintaining the calibration over a 90-day period with +/- 25% accuracy at 10 ppb. The aim is to provide an alternate hypergol monitoring system that is more stable than the currently installed systems with a low limit of detection. Wide success of the system will provide a portable unit that does not require a radioactive source (as is needed in traditional DMS) and allow for shelf-life stability of calibration greater than a 2 week period. Thus, this would greatly reduce personnel time in maintaining calibrated devices as well as unit swaps at each installed location.
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