MEMS Preconcentrator and Gas Chromatograph Chips for the Spacecraft Atmosphere Monitor

The first Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) Preconcentrator (PC) and Gas Chromatograph (GC) have been developed for NASA's Spacecraft Atmosphere Monitor (S.A.M.), with the second technology development unit (TDU2) under development for the International Space Station (ISS). The S.A.M. TDU2 is a miniaturized Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometer (GC/MS) instrument, which will be sent to the ISS in 2021. The S.A.M. PC has a gain of more than 3000, enabling sub-ppm sensitivity of the instrument. The S.A.M. GC microcolumn is capable of separating more than 20 targeted compounds in the air of the ISS cabin. The MEMS PC/GC chips are packaged, successfully sealed, and to be integrated with the JPL developed Quadrupole-Ion Trap MS, which enables high vacuum operation during trace gas analysis. The MEMS PC/GC and its integration with the MS contribute to S.A.M. operating under 50% of the Vehicle Cabin Atmosphere Monitor (VCAM) [1] power consumption with a compact footprint, 33% of VCAM's mass and volume.