Demonstration of the microAnalyzer's Measurement of Common Trace Volatile Organic Compounds in Spacecraft Atmospheres

A replacement for the International Space Station's Volatile Organic Analyzer (VOA) is required because the VOA is at the end of its operational life after seven years on the International Space Station and it is too large for on-orbit replacement. The Sionex microAnalyzer™ is an ideal replacement for the VOA because it retains or exceeds the VOA's capability for detecting trace levels of air contaminants, and the microAnalyzer is small, low cost, and uses minimal spacecraft resources. The microAnalyzer has a volume of less than one-tenth of a cubic foot and it relies on gas chromatography and differential mobility spectrometry for accurate analysis of atmospheric contaminants. Several microAnalyzer units are being prepared for a Station Detailed Test Objective (SDTO) flight in 2008.

This paper presents a brief overview of the microAnalyzer technology and provides data from the initial performance testing of the microAnalyzer on the ground in preparation for an upcoming SDTO.