MACH 33 provides contracted engineering support for NASA’s Mars Organic Molecule Analyzer (MOMA)- a joint project with the European Space Agency. MOMA is a mass spectrometer based instrument onboard the Rosalind Franklin Rover, which is planned to be launched in 2028. MOMA is designed to analyze various organic compounds that can be found in drill samples taken from the surface of the planet. This allows scientists to identify potential signs of life.
The ability of the MOMA instrument to detect various types of organic compounds will allow it to identify life’s most common components. These compounds can be created by either biological or non-biological processes, and they can contain elements such as hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen.
MOMA utilizes two methods to identify different kinds of compounds. The first method involves baking the sample in an oven until it vaporizes. The second method uses a laser to vaporize the sample. The vapor passes through the mass spectrometer to identify the molecules.
Our team works at NASA Goddard to assist with the development of the mass spectrometer. We assist with the mechanical design, testing, and integration of the instrument.
The MOMA instrument will be capable of detecting a wide variety of organic molecules. Organic compounds are commonly associated with life, although they can be created by non-biological processes as well.
Ref. site (‘https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2018/moma’)