MOMA Gas Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometer onboard the 2018 ExoMars Mission: results and performance
Résumé
The Mars Organic Molecule Ana- lyzer (MOMA) is a dual ion source linear ion trap mass spectrometer that was designed for the 2018 joint ESA-Roscosmos mission to Mars. The main scientific aim of the mission is to search for signs of extant or extinct life in the near subsurface of Mars by acquiring samples from as deep as 2 m below the surface. MOMA will be a key analytical tool in providing chemical (molecular and chiral) information from the solid samples, with particular focus on the characteri- zation of organic content. The MOMA instrument, itself, is a joint venture for NASA and ESA to develop a mass spectrometer capable of analyzing samples from pyrolysis/chemical derivatization gas chromatog- raphy (GC) as well as ambient pressure laser desorp- tion ionization (LDI). The combination of the two analytical techniques allows for the chemical charac- terization of a broad range of compounds, including volatile and non-volatile species. Generally, MOMA can provide information on elemental and molecular makeup, polarity, chirality and isotopic patterns of analyte species. Here we report on the current perfor- mance of the MOMA prototype instruments, specifi- cally the demonstration of the gas chromatography- mass spectrometry (GC-MS) mode of operation.