Trace Contaminant Monitor for Air in Spacecraft

A need exists for analyzers that can measure trace contaminants in air on board spacecraft. Toxic gas buildup can endanger the crew particularly during long missions. Some gases are generated by people and emitted through the skin or by exhalation. In addition to carbon dioxide, these anthropogenic gases include carbon monoxide, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, acetaldehyde, and methanol. Plastics used in the spacecraft cabin can outgas formaldehyde, and heat exchangers can leak ammonia into breathing air. Overheating electronics can release carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, hydrogen chloride and hydrogen fluoride. Thus, continuous air monitoring is required. Mesa Photonics proposes development of a highly miniaturized, highly efficient Fourier Transform (FT) spectrometer for continuous monitoring of contaminant air. The spectrometer will be able to detect a wide range of compounds with response times of about 30 seconds. Our approach combines several innovations that will lead to a rugged and reliable spectrometer capable of space-based operation and having a long shelf life. Spectrometers will be about the size of a lap-top computer, weigh about 4 kg, and consume about 10 W. Most target contaminants will be detectable at part-per-million or lower concentrations.

Gas monitoring and detection encompass a wide range of medical, industrial, and environmental commercial markets. Quantitative detection of ammonia the gas that will be used in the Phase I experiments has commercial applications as diverse as in leak detection for industrial refrigeration, breath analysis for monitoring kidney dialysis, and sensing of clandestine methamphetamine laboratories. The planned modular design of our instrument platform will give us considerable flexibility in addressing different markets. Initially, we will focus on instruments for the research community. Mesa Photonics has already developed a large customer base in university and government research labs through sales of our ultrafast laser diagnostic tools. Starting with these customers and their colleagues will speed product development because we do not need to also develop the packaging and sample handling accessories that are required for most industrial applications. Experience obtained from the research community will guide us toward identifying good choices for industrial applications and larger markets.

NASA commercial applications for trace gas detection include crew habitat air monitoring, crew physiology monitoring by breath analysis, early warning fire sensing, launch pad and test bed safety monitoring, and leak detection.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 4) — 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.

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