MICA: Microfluidic Icy-World Chemistry Analyzer

The Microfluidic Icy-World Chemistry Analyzer (MICA) is a critical habitability and environmental sensor array developed under the Instrument Concepts for Europa Exploration (ICEE-2) program for a landed Europa search-for-life mission. Fundamentally, MICA is a microfluidic implementation of the Wet Chemistry Laboratory (WCL), an array of electrochemical sensors that delivered key Phoenix Mars mission science findings. WCL provided chemical context clarifying our understanding of Mars mission results, from Viking to Mars Science Lab (MSL). With appropriate interfaces that are enabled by a microfluidic aqueous sample processor, MICA can also be integrated with a range of complementary payload science instruments such as microscopes, spectrometers, liquid and electrophoretic chromatographs, and mass spectrometers. MICA has three target-dependent primary science measurement goals: 1) assess habitability, 2) characterize the aqueous geochemistry of samples, and 3) support comparative oceanography. The primary motivation for this MatISSE technology maturation is to modify MICA for the analysis of samples that will be collected during ocean-world plume fly-through missions, which is a current Decadal Survey priority. This will require a ≥20x reduction in MICA processing volumes compared to the ICEE-2 design. As part of this MatISSE maturation towards an ocean-world Plume mission, reduced volume sensor arrays will be developed and integrated with already mature ICEE-2 subsystems to create a flight-like prototype that will then undergo end-to-end verification and environmental testing. The overall MatISSE technical goal is to continue the maturation of MICA to TRL 5 overall, with key subsystems attaining TRL 6. This goal will enable MICA to attain full-system TRL 6 during a planetary mission Phase A in under 18 months, and will be reached, by achieving the following MatISSE objectives: 1. Optimize MICA design and performance requirements for Decadal Survey priority missions, based on ICEE-2 outcomes, lessons learned, new mission targets, and current science under-standing of the targets, focused on Enceladus plume fly-through missions. 2. Mature and verify MICA subsystems, based on Objective 1 requirements: sensor array subsystem, fluidics subsystem, electronics and software. Validate performance using synthetic analog samples. 3. Integrate instrument subsystems into a hermetic container and document planetary-protection (PP) and contamination-control (CC) methods. 4. Conduct environmental and end-to-end operational tests on the integrated instrument: verify end-to-end performance, verify performance in a flight-like configuration, assessing mechanical (shock/vibration), thermal, vacuum, and fluidic independence from gravitational orientation. MICA is designed to advance the understanding for the potential for life to exist on an icy moon in our solar system, which is relevant to both NASA and is a priority in the recent Planetary Science Decadal Survey.

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