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Research Tasks

Ultra-Low Mass and Power Gas Sensor for Planetary Exploration and Earth Science Monitoring

JPL and Caltech are developing a low-power multiplexed volatile sensor platform based on chemical-sensitive field-effect transistor (CS-FET). This could enable a number of future exploration concepts including: autonomous swarm prospecting for water ice on the moon, determining if Recurring Slope Lineae on Mars are water ice or CO2 ice driven, measuring methane on planetary bodies for life detection or understanding geochemical processes, and determining if the vents on Enceladus are being driven by slow boiling from the vacuum of space or produced by cryovolcanism driven from CO2 dissolution from the body of liquid. To capitalize on the autonomous swarm work at JPL, this sensor will be mounted on a PUFFER ground vehicle and drone.
Point of Contact: Kalind Carpenter
Sponsored By: President and Directors Fund