Laser desorption mass spectrometry with an Orbitrap analyser for in situ astrobiology

A Tiny Laser Device Could Reveal Alien Life

“…Lori Willhite, a graduate student at the University of Maryland, College Park, and her colleagues have now made a miniaturized A photo of the Orbitrap cell. Credit: L. Willhite/University of Maryland laser device that fits the bill [1]. Developed at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, the device uses an Orbitrap analyzer-a type of mass spectrometer that became commercially available for use in analytical laboratories in the early 2000s.…”

Characterization of Regolith And Trace Economic Resources (CRATER): An Orbitrap‐based laser desorption mass spectrometry instrument for in situ exploration of the Moon

“…Thus far, spaceflight mass spectrometers designed to analyze nonvolatile targets have incorporated time‐of‐flight mass analyzers (e.g., the Cometary Secondary Ion Mass Analyzer, COSIMA 23 ) or linear ion traps (e.g., the Mars Organic Molecular Analyzer, MOMA 16 ) that offer limited mass resolving powers (<1400, full width half maximum [FWHM] at m/z 100). The Orbitrap mass analyzer, originally developed for the commercial industry, 24 is now being adapted for spaceflight mass spectrometry due to its ultrahigh mass resolving power (>100,000 FWHM at m/z 100) and mass accuracy (ppm level) 18,20,25–29 …”

“…Applications of laser desorption mass spectrometry (LDMS) have been demonstrated as far back as the 1960s 14 ; such techniques, which are common in the commercial realm, are beginning to find a niche in planetary exploration. [15][16][17][18][19][20] Laser-enabled in situ methods enable spatially resolved analyses, minimize analytical blanks, and limit risks of contamination by avoiding direct contact with the sample.…”

“…The Orbitrap mass analyzer, originally developed for the commercial industry, 24 is now being adapted for spaceflight mass spectrometry due to its ultrahigh mass resolving power (>100,000 FWHM at m/z 100) and mass accuracy (ppm level). 18,20,[25][26][27][28][29] The Characterization of Regolith And Trace Economic Resources (CRATER) instrument, an Orbitrap-based LDMS instrument specifically designed for operations on the Moon's surface, is capable of collecting two-dimensional (2D) chemical maps and 3D depth profiles of sample mineralogy/elemental chemistry and organic diversity in lunar surface materials. Here we describe the design and characteristics of the CRATER flight model (Figure 1 and Table 1), demonstrate the performance of a prototype instrument that meets the full functionality of the flight design, and discuss general operations of the CRATER instrument during a prospective lunar mission.…”

OLYMPIA-LILBID: A New Laboratory Setup to Calibrate Spaceborne Hypervelocity Ice Grain Detectors Using High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry

“…Coupled with a laser ablation ionization system, the CosmOrbitrap achieved mass resolution performances varying from 474 000 at m / z 9 to 90 000 at m / z 208 for a 830 ms signal duration . The CosmOrbitrap is intended to be the mass analyzer of various laser ionization instruments currently under development for future planetary body missions. − In this work, we coupled the LILBID technique with a newly built laboratory Orbitrap-based mass spectrometer not intended for space applications, the Orbitrap anaLYzer MultiPle IonizAtion (OLYMPIA) . OLYMPIA was designed to be easily coupled with different ionization techniques, either continuous or pulsed.…”