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Completed TRL 3 (started at 2, targeting 3)
The goal of this work was to develop and optimize methods to extract stable isotopic compositions (such as the ratio 13C/12C) from ion trap mass spectrometer (ITMS) data and evaluate the accuracy and precision that can be obtained for these measurements.
GSFC has a strong history of developing MS instrumentation for flight, but external competitors offering alternative high-resolution MS systems have recently been successful in securing spots on missions such as Europa Clipper. The Europa SDT Report specifically calls out stable isotopes as high priority measurements, and we have reason to suspect that competitors to GSFC MS instruments for the Europa Lander will claim their instruments have the unique capability to make these measurements. This work addressed the urgent need to assess the ability of the Goddard ITMS to make these measurements. This work will support GSFC’s response to the eventual AO soliciting instruments for the actual lander, which should occur in the next 3-5 years. Development of this capability now is crucial in order for GSFC to compete with high-resolution mass spectrometry instrumentation developed at SwRI and JPL that has already demonstrated some capability to generate meaningful stable isotope data.
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