1
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Validation Test Results from the
Vehicle Cabin Atmosphere Monitor
M. R. Darrach
1
, A. Chutjian
2
, B. J. Bornstein
3
, A. P. Croonquist
4
, V. Garkanian
5
,
V. R. Haemmerle
6
, W. M. Heinrichs
7
, D. Karmon
8
, J. Kenny
9
, R. D. Kidd
10
, S. Lee
11
,
J. A. MacAskill
12
, S. M. Madzunkov
13
, L. Mandrake
14
, T.M. Rust
15
,
R. T. Schaefer
16
, J. L. Thomas
17
, and N. Toomarian
18
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena CA 91109
We report on the results from validation testing the Vehicle Cabin Atmosphere Monitor
(VCAM). VCAM is an autonomous environmental monitor based on a miniature gas
chromatograph/mass spectrometer and is scheduled to be flown to the International Space
Station (ISS) on shuttle mission STS-131. VCAM is capable of providing measurements of
both ppb levels of volatile constituents and the atmospheric major constituents (nitrogen,
oxygen, and carbon dioxide) in a space vehicle or station. It is designed to operate
autonomously and maintenance free, approximately once per day, with a self-contained gas
supply sufficient for a one-year lifetime. VCAM performance is sufficient to detect and
identify 90% of the target compounds specified at the 24-hour Spacecraft Maximum
Allowable Concentration level. This paper presents a summary of the pre-flight validation
test results for VCAM.
Nomenclature
AMC = Atomic and Molecular Physics Group
DU = Development Unit
FTIR = Fourier Transform Infrared
GC/DMS = Gas Chromatograph/Differential Mobility Spectrometer
GC/MS = Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometer
HOSC = Huntsville Operations Support Center
ISS = International Space Station
JPL = Jet Propulsion Laboratory
JSC = Johnson Space Flight Center
LS = Laboratory Standard
1
Senior Technologist, Atomic and Molecular Physics Group, JPL/Caltech, Pasadena, CA 91109
2
Senior Scientist, Atomic and Molecular Physics Group, JPL/Caltech, Pasadena, CA 91109
3
Scientific Applications Engineer, Instrument Autonomy Group, JPL/Caltech, Pasadena, CA 91109
4
Systems Engineer, MicroDevices Group, JPL CalTech, Pasadena, CA 91109
5
Mechanical Engineer, Optical Communications Group, JPL/Caltech, Pasadena, CA 91109
6
Software Engineer, Processing Algorithms and Calibration Engineering, JPL/Caltech, Pasadena, CA 91109
7
System Engineer, Inst System Engineering, JPL/Caltech, Pasadena, CA 91109
8
Program Project Manager, Instruments & Science Data Systems, JPL/Caltech, Pasadena, CA 91109
9
Engineer, Instrument Integration and Test, JPL/Caltech, Pasadena, CA 91109
10
Research Scientist, Planetary Chemistry and Astrobiology, JPL/Caltech, Pasadena, CA 91109
11
Technologist, High Capacity Computing and Modeling, JPL/Caltech, Pasadena, CA 91109
12
Research Scientist, Atomic and Molecular Physics Group, JPL/Caltech, Pasadena, CA 91109
13
Research Scientist, AMC, Atomic and Molecular Physics Group, JPL/Caltech, Pasadena, CA 91109
14
Informatics Researcher, Machine Learning and Instrument Autonomy Group, JPL/Caltech, Pasadena, CA 91109
15
Propulsion Engineer, SpaceX, 1 Rocket Rd, Hawthorne, CA 90250
16
Electrical Engineer, Advanced Computer Systems and Technology, JPL/Caltech, Pasadena, CA 91109
17
Electrical Engineer, Advanced Computer Systems and Technology, JPL/Caltech, Pasadena, CA 91109
18
Program Manager, Advanced Instrument Concepts, JPL/Caltech, Pasadena, CA 91109
40th International Conference on Environmental Systems AIAA 2010-6094
Copyright © 2010 by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc. The U.S. Government has a royalty-free license to exercise all rights under the copyright claimed herein for Go