MACROS: Molecular Analyzer for Complex Refractory Organic-rich Surfaces

Completed TRL 3 (started at 2, targeting 4)

Description

MACROS will be capable of comprehensively analyzing the surface chemistry of astrobiologically important planetary bodies to determine the composition of small, soluble organic molecules, non-volatile macromolecular organic carbon reservoirs, and inorganic composition of local mineralogy that can play a role in organic and inorganic chemical processes during planetary body evolution. Future landed missions to solar system destinations of high astrochemical and astrobiological interest will require science instrumentation capable of conducting broad, comprehensive, and highly sensitive in situ analyses of surface materials. A primary goal of any such landed mission will be a detailed characterization of the local chemical environment. MACROS will assess habitability (as in the case of Europa, Enceladus, or Titan) and/or assess the possible role of small bodies in the seeding of organic compounds on early Earth and throughout the solar system (as in the case of icy asteroids and comets). MACROS is an advanced laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometer (LDMS), capable of sample acquisition, solvent extraction, and presentation of liquid analyte at the inlet of the mass spectrometer, that will provide sophisticated sample analysis beyond the capabilities of LDMS alone. The outcome of the proposed work will be a MACROS instrument laboratory prototype that will determine inorganic mineral composition, broadband organic sample content, and detailed structural analysis of high-priority compound classes for a thorough understanding of the chemistry of planetary surface materials.

Benefits

The results of this project will be used by NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission to design, construct, and operate their dedicated asteroid sample curation laboratory. If NASA receives samples from the JAXA Hayabusa-2 mission, these results will be critical to design of a curation laboratory for those samples

Details

Technology area	Sensors and Instruments > In Situ Instruments and Sensors > Environment Sensors
Program	Planetary Instrument Concepts for the Advancement of Solar System Observations (PICASSO)
Lead organization	Max-Planck-Institut fuer Radioastronomie, Bonn
Start date	2014-05-01
End date	2018-04-01

Project contacts

Listed on TechPort itself — the most direct way to ask about this specific project.

Stephanie A Getty — stephanie.a.getty@nasa.gov
Adrian E Southard — adrian.e.southard@nasa.gov
Andrej Grubisic — andrej.grubisic@nasa.gov
Daniel P Glavin — daniel.p.glavin@nasa.gov
David T Leisawitz — david.t.leisawitz@nasa.gov
Jamie Elsila — jamie.elsila@nasa.gov
Jason P Dworkin — jason.p.dworkin@nasa.gov
Jerome P Ferrance
Manuel A Balvin — manuel.a.balvin@nasa.gov
Paul Mahaffy — paul.r.mahaffy@nasa.gov
Timothy J Cornish
William B Brinckerhoff — william.b.brinckerhoff@nasa.gov
Xiang Li — xiang.li@nasa.gov

How to get involved

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 3) — 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.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.