Final month (December 2022), engineers and technicians delivered a sophisticated new mass spectrometer for the Europa Clipper mission to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California. It’s now able to be built-in into the spacecraft, which is because of launch to Jupiter’s ocean moon, Europa, in late 2024.
The instrument – known as a MAss Spectrometer for Planetary EXploration (MASPEX) – will mainly act as Europa Clipper’s “nostril.” It’s designed to smell out gases on and round Europa, to assist assess the habitability of this ocean moon of Jupiter. The Southwest Analysis Institute (SwRI) designed and constructed MASPEX.
Superior new mass spectrometer for Europa Clipper
One in every of 9 devices on Europa Clipper, MASPEX is probably the most refined mass spectrometer but designed to fly in space. MASPEX will research the chemistry of Europa, together with its floor, environment and subsurface ocean. It does so by analyzing gases at Europa to find out their composition. This supplies priceless clues as to situations not solely on the frozen floor, however deeper down within the salty ocean itself. Additionally, MASPEX will have a look at how the floor and ocean change materials. As well as, it would look at how Jupiter’s robust radiation impacts supplies on Europa’s floor.
SwRI Senior Vice President and MASPEX principal investigator Jim Burch defined, saying:
MASPEX has a mass decision a whole lot of instances finer than something that has flown to space earlier than. SwRI has used inside funding and NASA sources to develop an instrument in a position to differentiate between molecules with nearly an identical lots primarily based on the vitality binding the atoms. It additionally differentiates isotopes, atoms with equal numbers of protons however a special variety of neutrons. These capabilities are crucial to revealing the secrets and techniques of Europa.
SwRI’s Steve Persyn, mission supervisor for MASPEX, stated:
It has been an enormous group effort to get this next-generation space mass spectrometer constructed, examined and delivered. SwRI has many years of expertise designing and constructing devices for space missions.
How MASPEX works
So, how does MASPEX work? Usually talking, the premise is pretty easy. The instrument sucks in fuel molecules from Europa after which converts them into ions. Ions are any atom or group of atoms which have a number of constructive or damaging electrical expenses. Then, the ions bounce backwards and forwards contained in the instrument about 400 instances. Whereas the ions are transferring, MASPEX measures their mass. Understanding the precise mass helps scientists decide the composition of the atoms and molecules.
MASPEX additionally differentiates between isotopes, that are atoms with equal numbers of protons however a special variety of neutrons.
Europa Clipper received’t land on Europa itself, however it would conduct quite a few shut flybys of the moon. It’s additionally attainable for Europa Clipper to fly by a few of Europa’s water vapor plumes – in the event that they do exist – and pattern them immediately. Imagery and different information from telescopes reminiscent of Hubble have supplied tentative but good evidence for his or her existence. Nonetheless, some scientists nonetheless debate if these really are plumes. In that case, they appear to be much like the plumes on Saturn’s moon Enceladus, however extra intermittent and smaller-scale.
Christopher Glein, MASPEX co-investigator and planetary geochemist, stated:
We hope to determine and fly by plumes and different sources of fuel venting from cracks in Europa’s icy floor. We all know microbes on Earth exploit any molecule that may function a meals supply. MASPEX goes to assist Europa Clipper decide whether or not there may be something for microbes to eat, reminiscent of natural molecules that is perhaps sourced from hydrothermal vents on the backside of a deep ocean. The info from this thrilling mission will give us a a lot richer perspective on the habitability of Europa.
Europa in unprecedented element
Europa Clipper is scheduled to launch in 2024 and arrive at Jupiter and Europa in 2030. It’s the first mission devoted to learning Europa and its subsurface ocean in unprecedented element. It’ll present scientists with a a lot better understanding of Europa’s ocean and its potential habitability. And, maybe, much more clues as to the presence of life itself.
Final November, engineers additionally put in Europa Clipper’s four large reaction wheels. They may assist maintain the spacecraft oriented in the correct course to conduct its science investigations and ship the information again to Earth.
Backside line: NASA has obtained a sophisticated mass spectrometer for the Europa Clipper mission. It’ll analyze gases for clues concerning the ocean moon’s habitability.
