Abstract: According to an embodiment, an ion pump for use in a low gravity environment includes a housing at least partially defining a pumping chamber, the pumping chamber enclosing a first cathode plate and a second cathode plate, and a plurality of cylindrical anodes disposed between the first cathode plate and the second cathode plate. The ion pump also includes a feedthrough extending external to the pumping chamber from a wall of the housing, and a baffle including a body disposed in a space between the plurality of anodes and an inner surface of the wall. The body has dimensions selected to prevent particles having a size greater than a selected particle size from migrating from the pumping chamber to the feedthrough when in the low gravity environment.

Abstract: An ion pump includes an evacuateable envelope having a chamber. A first and a second cathode are disposed within the chamber and spaced apart from one another. An anode is spaced apart from and between the first and second cathodes. The anode has an anode body with a textured surface that defines capture regions for fixing material sputtered from the first and second cathodes and controlling size of sputter depositions shed from the anode.

Abstract: An ion-mobility spectrometer system includes a housing with an upstream end, a downstream end, and a drift region defined along a longitudinal axis through the housing between the upstream and downstream ends. A first ionizer is operatively connected the housing to supply ions at the upstream end. A second ionizer is operatively connected to the housing to supply ions at the upstream end, wherein the first and second ionizers are both situated upstream of the drift zone relative to an ion flow path through the drift zone. An electric field generator is operatively connected to the housing to drive ions through the drift zone in a direction from the upstream end toward the downstream end. The second ionizer is a radioactive ionizer mounted to the housing at the upstream end positioned to direct irradiated ions into the housing.

Abstract: A space habitat includes a water processing assembly including a wastewater tank and a water processing section connected to the wastewater tank. The water processing section includes a pump to urge flow of the wastewater, a mostly liquid separator to separate gas from liquid in the wastewater, a catalytic reactor located downstream of the mostly liquid separator, and one or more sensors located downstream of the catalytic reactor to determine if the wastewater is sufficiently processed. A valve directs the wastewater to a water storage tank if the sensors determine that the wastewater is sufficiently processed, and direct the wastewater to the wastewater tank if the one or more sensors determine that the wastewater is not sufficiently processed. The space habitat further includes one or more of a carbon dioxide removal system, a trace contaminant removal system, a temperature and humidity control system or a waste collection system.

Abstract: An ion-mobility spectrometer system includes a housing with an upstream end, a downstream end, and a drift region defined along a longitudinal axis through the housing between the upstream and downstream ends. A first ionizer is operatively connected the housing to supply ions at the upstream end. A second ionizer is operatively connected to the housing to supply ions at the upstream end, wherein the first and second ionizers are both situated upstream of the drift zone relative to an ion flow path through the drift zone. An electric field generator is operatively connected to the housing to drive ions through the drift zone in a direction from the upstream end toward the downstream end. The second ionizer is a radioactive ionizer mounted to the housing at the upstream end positioned to direct irradiated ions into the housing.

Abstract: A chemical detecting system includes a sensor module including a sensor configured to detect at least one chemical of a selected set of chemicals. A screen is operatively connected to protect the sensor from debris. The screen is configured to permit ambient gases therethrough for detection by the sensor. A controller module is stacked together with the sensor module and including a controller operatively connected to the sensor. A battery terminal is operatively connected to the controller, the battery terminal being configured to connect to a battery to power the controller and the sensor.

Abstract: An ion mobility spectrometer for analyzing a vapor sample including a multi-ring ion source for receiving a vapor sample, wherein the multi-ring ion source includes a series of rings, wherein each ring of the multi-ring ion source includes an ionizing layer on an inner surface thereof, for charging at least a portion of the vapor sample and creating an ionized vapor sample.

Abstract: An ion mobility spectrometer for analyzing a vapor sample including a multi-ring ion source for receiving a vapor sample, wherein the multi-ring ion source includes a series of rings, wherein each ring of the multi-ring ion source includes an ionizing layer on an inner surface thereof, for charging at least a portion of the vapor sample and creating an ionized vapor sample.

Abstract: A chemical detecting system includes a sensor module including a sensor configured to detect at least one chemical of a selected set of chemicals. A screen is operatively connected to protect the sensor from debris. The screen is configured to permit ambient gases therethrough for detection by the sensor. A controller module is stacked together with the sensor module and including a controller operatively connected to the sensor. A battery terminal is operatively connected to the controller, the battery terminal being configured to connect to a battery to power the controller and the sensor.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating and analyzing ions includes a detector, a planar ion drift tube coupled to the detector and having a width, and a planar ion source. The planar ion source is coupled to the ion drift tube on an end of the ion drift tube opposite the detector and has a span greater than or equal to the width of the ion drift tube to ionize an analyte gas and fragment the analyte gas ions prior to admittance to the ion drift tube. Chemical detectors and methods of chemical detection are also described.

Abstract: A tandem mass spectrometer includes a linear time-of-flight mass analyzer and curved field reflectron mass analyzer. The curved-field reflectron mass analyzer is disposed at an end of the linear time-of-flight mass analyzer such that ions having a plurality of ion masses formed in the linear time-of-flight analyzer such that ions having a plurality of ion masses formed in the linear time-of-flight analyzer enter the curved-field reflectron mass analyzer. The tandem mass spectrometer also includes a mass selection gate disposed between the time-of-flight mass analyzer and the curved-field reflectron mass analyzer. The mass selection gate selects an ion mass from the plurality of ion masses. Furthermore, the tandem mass spectrometer also includes a dissociating component located in a path of the ions formed in the linear time-of-flight analyzer. The dissociating component causes dissociation of the ions into a plurality of ion fragments.

Abstract: A time-of-flight mass spectrometer has a first electrode, a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode, a third electrode arranged between the first and second electrodes. The third electrode reserves a space for ions to travel between the first and second electrodes. The time-of-flight mass spectrometer further includes a sample probe disposed proximate the first electrode and adapted to hold a sample, and a detector disposed proximate the second electrode. The first electrode is adapted to be connected to a voltage source to cause a difference in voltage between the first and second electrodes to provide an electric field therebetween that changes non-linearly along an ion path between the sample probe and the detector for accelerating ions to be detected.

Abstract: A time-of-flight mass spectrometer which has an iron source, an evacuated tube proximate the ion source and adapted to receive ions from the ion source, and a detector disposed at an end of the evacuated tube opposite an end proximate the ion source. The ion source is constructed to generate an electric field that changes non-linearly as a function of position along a path from the ion source to the detector. The ion source is constructed to generate an electric field that changes as a function of time, the electric field being provided to accelerate ions from the ion source to the detector.

Abstract: A mass spectrometer that includes an ionizing source, a sample holder arranged in a beam path of the ionizing source, an ion detector disposed to receive ions extracted from a sample when held by the sample holder and irradiated by the ionizing source. The mass spectrometer also includes an extraction electrode arranged proximate to the sample holder, and a drift tube arranged between the extraction electrode and the ion detector. In the mass spectrometer, the extraction electrode and the drift tube are movable together relative to the sample holder, which is held at a fixed position.

Abstract: Novel ion mirrors comprising, in a preferred embodiment, three cylinders, rectangles or truncated cones to improve the resolving power in the time-of-flight mass spectrometers over broad ion kinetic energy ranges. The achieved electric field is non-linear along the mirror axis and relatively homogeneous in the mirror off-axis directions. Combined with dimension optimization, in a preferred embodiment, the adjustment of only two parameters of element voltages can yield preferred electric field distribution to fit different ion optical systems.