Abstract:
A panel of non-NASA scientists and engineers with expertise in gas phase analyte sensor development convened in Houston, TX on September 15–16, 2010. The panel evaluated and compared various technologies presented by companies and university research groups and assessed the applicability of each technology for the next combustion products monitor (CPM) on the International Space Station (ISS). Eleven presentations in three main categories were given; these included laser absorption spectrometers, electrochemical and solid state sensors, and colorimetric sensors.
The panel identified laser absorption spectroscopy as the technology with the best prospects for reliable detection of combustion products in a 1–2 year horizon. The technique has a proven ability to measure specific gas phase analytes with minimal cross-species interference.
