Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Volatile collection”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 55 records · Page 3
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1991

Analysis of volatiles present in interplanetary dust and stratospheric particles collected on large area collectors

Results are presented from an analysis of six chondritic interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) and 22 other stratospheric particles collected on large-area collector, carried out in order to obtain information on the nature, distribution, and form of volatiles in IDPs. A laser microprobe/mass spectrometer (LMMS) was used to extract volatile elements and molecules from particles larger than 10 microns, and an improved hexane rinsing technique was developed for the removal of contaminants. Results show that, because of contamination from silicone oil, freon, and hexane, most of the LMMS signal from IDPs can be interpreted as arising from contamination. Therefore, a species was not considered indigenous unless the signal was an order of magnitude greater in abundance than that released from a pure contaminant coated on gold.

Hartmetz, C. P.↗
NASA NTRS1982

IUS materials outgassing condensation effects on sensitive spacecraft surfaces

Four materials used on the inertial upper state (IUS) were subjected to vacuum conditions and heated to near-operational temperatures (93 to 316 C), releasing volatile materials. A fraction of the volatile materials were collected on 25 C solar cells, optical solar reflectors (OSR's) or aluminized Mylar. The contaminated surfaces were exposed to 26 equivalent sun hours of simulated solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Measurements of contamination deposit mass, structure, reflectance and effects on solar cell power output were made before and after UV irradiation. Standard total mass loss - volatile condensible materials (TML - VCM) tests were also performed. A 2500 A thick contaminant layer produced by EPDM rubber motor-case insulation outgassing increased the solar absorptance of the OSR's from 0.07 to 0.14, and to 0.18 after UV exposure. An 83,000 A layer caused an increase from 0.07 to 0.21, and then the 0.46 after UV exposure. The Kevlar-epoxy motor-case material outgassing condensation raised the absorptance from 0.07 to 0.13, but UV had no effect. Outgassing from multilayer insulation and carbon-carbon nozzle materials did not affect the solar absorptance of the OSR's.

Mullen, C. R.↗
NASA NTRS2020

Apollo Next Generation Sample Analysis (ANGSA): A Segue to the Next Era of Lunar Exploration and Sample Return Activities

In the fifty years since the first lunar samples were collected on Apollo 11, significant advancements have taken place in laboratory analysis, planetary science, and astromaterials curation. These advances are now being leveraged for the Apollo Next Generation Sample Analysis (ANGSA) Program, which aims to study specially curated Apollo samples that have never been studied before. Since Apollo 17 in 1972, a great deal has been learned about the Moon, including the unique environments of the poles. Building upon Apollo and remote sensing studies since then, the Artemis Program aims to explore the cold environments near the lunar south pole while achieving the concurrent goals of landing the first woman and the next man on the Moon by 2024. Recent developments for ANGSA have significantly accelerated our readiness for Artemis sample return, particularly in the area of cold sample studies. Four science teams were selected to study cold and/or volatile-bearing samples collected during the Apollo program. These samples have special storage and handling requirements that necessitate their processing in a -20°C environment that meets the Apollo materials and cleanliness requirements. NASA has recently undertaken the development and implementation of a cold sample processing facility to support ANGSA. A similar facility will be needed to process the cold, volatile-bearing samples planned to be returned by Artemis missions; therefore, ANGSA provides excellent preparation for Artemis’ future cold sample processing efforts. We will outline the goals of the ANGSA and Artemis programs, illustrating the complementary nature of the work for both. We will describe the efforts to date in designing, testing, and implementing a cold curation facility that meets the requirements of ANGSA and Apollo curation. We will then outline future work for that facility to reach operational readiness. Finally, we will present the sample collection and curation strategies for Artemis, showing how they overlap and build on ANGSA efforts. The development of cold curation at NASA represents a significant leap in the knowledge, experience, and technologies used in astromaterials curation, opening the door for new investigations of lunar volatiles, impacts, formation processes, prebiotic chemistry, and resource utilization, among many others.

Julie Mitchell↗
NASA NTRS2003

A P-band Radar Mission to Mars

Large regions of Mars are covered by dust that obscures geological evidence for fluvial channels, the extent of volcanic flows, and features associated with near-surface ground ice. We describe a Mars orbiting mission carrying a P-band SAR to map these hidden surface features. Mapping would be carried out in HH and VV polarizations, with the comparison of the two expected to yield a distinction between surface echoes and subsurface features beneath up to 5 m of dust. Repeat-pass interferometry data would also be collected to characterize volatile migration at the poles, aeolian shifting of the dust mantle, and possible volcanic deformation. This paper describes the technical design of a P-band SAR for global mapping of Mars, and the characteristics of the proposed mission.

Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR)↗
NASA NTRS2013

Wells for In Situ Extraction of Volatiles from Regolith (WIEVR)

A document discusses WIEVRs, a means to extract water ice more efficiently than previous approaches. This water may exist in subsurface deposits on the Moon, in many NEOs (Near- Earth Objects), and on Mars. The WIEVR approach utilizes heat from the Sun to vaporize subsurface ice; the water (or other volatile) vapor is transported to a surface collection vessel where it is condensed (and collected). The method does not involve mining and extracting regolith before removing the frozen volatiles, so it uses less energy and is less costly than approaches that require mining of regolith. The only drilling required for establishing the WIEVR collection/recovery system is a well-bore drill hole. In its simplest form, the WIEVRs will function without pumps, compressors, or other gas-moving equipment, relying instead on diffusive transport and thermally induced convection of the vaporized volatiles for transport to the collection location(s). These volatile extraction wells could represent a significant advance in extraction efficiency for recovery of frozen volatiles in subsurface deposits on the Moon, Mars, or other extraterrestrial bodies.

Walton, Otis R.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

In-Lab Rapid Analytical Detection of Lunar Volatiles By Universal Gas Analyzer With Comparison to GC-MS System

Introduction: The curation of permanently shadowed regions (PSRs) [1] on the lunar surface is centered around studies based upon the observed volatiles from the LCROSS mission [2]. The rapid detection of important volatile gases and vapors present in planetary bodies and Astromaterials by a standalone analytical device is an area of intense research interest in our group and Planetary Exploration & Astromaterials Research Laboratory (PEARL) facility and this work is relevant to the future preparation of viable lunar simulants for testing curation efforts down the road. The groundbreaking results obtained from the LCROSS Mission [2] open the requirements for the direct detection of volatiles present in regolith materials collected from the lunar surface. The mass spectrometry of volatile chemicals is a general technique that utilizes a set of instruments that creates charged ions from a gaseous chemical species and measures the intensities vs. mass-to-charge ratio (m/z) [3]. In this context, we discuss in-lab experimental results and procedures for rapid qualitative analysis of main LCROSS volatiles (water, H2S, NH3, CO2, and CH3OH) by a Universal Gas Analyzer (UGA) instrument. Additionally, the instrument performance was evaluated by measuring the isotopic abundance ratio of atmospheric Ar-40 to Ar-36 present in room air since, argon is a relevant gas in planetary studies as it can provide an insight and reference point to isotope studies [4]. Additional, cross comparisons were attempted and made between the two instruments to develop a robust analytical technique by comparing mass spectral data for H2S headspace samples with a Trace-1310/ ISQ 7000 (ThermoFisher Scientific.) GC-MS system. Background: The benchtop UGA System is equipped with an SRS UGA 300 quadrupole mass spectrometer designed and built by Stanford Research Systems [5]. This system can be configured for several types of gaseous chemical analysis. The inlet line continuously samples gases at low flow rates (several milliliters per minute) through a capillary limiting the intake pressure making the instrument ideal for online analysis of select gases and/or room atmosphere. Moreover, in our current UGA system, a change in composition at the inlet can be detected in about 200 milliseconds and a complete spectrum is acquired (for a range of 1-100 amu) in under 45 sec with masses measured at rates up to 25 msec per point [5]. This system provides a quick upstream analytical data that we can then compare to results obtained by our GC-MS system. Sample Preparation: Small volume (2-4 mL) of analyte sample was taken in a 10 mL glass vial and sealed with a crimped cap and purged with pure Ar or N2 gas to displace air from the top. The headspace sample was scanned by the UGA instrument at analog, histogram, and pressure vs. time modes. The isotopic abundance ratio for 40Ar-to-36Ar was estimated by measuring partial pressure vs. time scans and setting the mass at 40 and 36 respectively. Results and Discussions: In this work, we have investigated the applicability of the UGA system by qualitative analysis of a series of LCROSS volatiles measured individually. Fig. 1 demonstrates a set of vertically offset spectra for the partial pressures measured as a function of mass-to-charge (m/z) ratios. The average acquisition time for each spectrum was less than a minute suggesting that the UGA system is ideal for quick analysis of geochemical volatiles. For the cross-comparison, we analyzed an H2S headspace sample by a Trace-1310/ISQ-7000 system and compared mass spectral data with previously measured UGA histogram scan data (Fig. 2). In both cases, major peak positions are the same, however, the intensities of fragment ions ([1H132S]+ and [32S]+) are higher for UGA suggesting that the fragment ionization process is stronger in UGA compared to that of GC-MS. To investigate how the integrated area under each chromatogram varies with the headspace sample volume, a set of five H2S headspace samples with increasing volumes was analyzed by the GC-MS system (Fig. 3, inset). A small volume (e.g., 200 to 1000 µL) of H2S/H2O vapor was withdrawn from a 20 mL stock sample vial containing ~5 mL of 0.4% H2S in water by a gas-tight syringe and added to another 20 mL vial filled with argon and analyzed by the GC-MS system. Finally, the UGA detector sensitivity was evaluated by calculating the atmospheric 40Ar-to-36Ar isotopic abundance ratio in room air by running a partial pressure vs. time scan with setting the atomic mass at 40, and 36. Fig. 4(a) shows a ~25 min duration “P vs. time” scan for 40Ar (plot for 36Ar is not shown). The partial pressure values (~100 points) were corrected by subtracting the corresponding background pressure value for 37Ar and utilized to calculate 40Ar-to-36Ar isotopic abundance ratios as shown by Fig. 4b. The average isotopic abundance ratio is ~306 with a 2*STDEV ~13. This abundance ratio is significantly close to the previously reported value of 298.56 [6] and the ratio obtained by our GC-MS system (303 for a UHP grade Ar sample). Conclusions: Our study strongly evidenced that the benchtop UGA system is a valuable analytical tool for the detection of major LCROSS volatiles. The rapid scanning capability, the inexpensiveness of the whole system, and impressive detection sensitivity prove its worthiness as an essential device for advanced geochemical applications. Moreover, cross comparisons with the GC-MS provide important bridges into advanced curatorial efforts into the future. References: [1] Bickel, V.T., et al. (2021) Nat Commun 12, 5607. [2] Colaprete, A., et al. (2010) Science, 330, 463-468. [3] Glavin, D. P. et al. (2012) 2012 IEEE Aerospace Conference, 1-11. [4] Willett, C. D., et al. (2022) Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 329, 119-134. [5] Operation Manual and Programming Reference. (2018) Universal gas Analyzers, Stanford Research Systems. [6] Lee, J. Y., et al. (2006) Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 70, 4507–4512. Notes: (4 figures are attached with text as shown by the attached file)

Curation↗
NASA NTRS1991

Evaluation of Fungal Metabolic Compounds Released to the Air in a Restricted Environment

The metabolic action of selected fungi species on common components of the interior of Space Station Freedom (SSF) will be tested. When present, volatile organic chemicals will be collected on porous polymer adsorbent columns. Using thermal desorption, the volatile compounds will be passed onto a gas chromatographic column for analysis. The Space Station Freedom (SSF) modular complex will largely be individually self contained and the established air environment will not be easily adjusted. The development and maintenance of a safe working environment offers a considerable challenge. Present plans for use of SSF acknowledge periods of manned activities and alternate times when the station is unmanned. The obvious necessity for clean and safe air and water during periods of use have been pursued as fundamental systems to SSF success. Somewhat less obvious, although perhaps of no less importance to the success of long term cyclic usage, are those periods of inactivity. It is during these periods when spores from microorganisms may be afforded the best conditions to germinate and in the vegetative form react with the complex synthetic chemical polymers which compose the furnishings and hardware of SSF nodes. Biodegradation could constitute a real hygiene problem, if the organisms form and release volatile organic chemicals. Similar problems have been documented in closed and improperly ventilated buildings and work spaces. Many of the metabolic products of fungi and bacterial growth create a variety of health problems. Analytical chemical techniques will first be used to document the growth of Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Cladosporium fungal species on the potential substrates Nomex and Kevlar. Any volatile organics that are released will be measured using the spectrum of gas adsorption chromatography. The level of microbial contamination that is necessary to produce such volatile compounds and the relative amounts expected to accumulate will be estimated.

Ferebee, Robert N.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Potential of Probing the Lunar Regolith using Rover-Mounted Ground Penetrating Radar: Moses Lake Dune Field Analog Study

Probing radars have been widely recognized by the science community to be an efficient tool to explore lunar subsurface providing a unique capability to address several scientific and operational issues. A wideband (200 to 1200 MHz) Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) mounted on a surface rover can provide high vertical resolution and probing depth from few tens of centimeters to few tens of meters depending on the sounding frequency and the ground conductivity. This in term can provide a better understand regolith thickness, elemental iron concentration (including ilmenite), volatile presence, structural anomalies and fracturing. All those objectives are of important significance for understanding the local geology and potential sustainable resources for future landing sites in particular exploring the thickness, structural heterogeneity and potential volatiles presence in the lunar regolith. While the operation and data collection of GPR is a straightforward case for most terrestrial surveys, it is a challenging task for remote planetary study especially on robotic platforms due to the complexity of remote operation in rough terrains and the data collection constrains imposed by the mechanical motion of the rover and limitation in data transfer. Nevertheless, Rover mounted GPR can be of great support to perform systematic subsurface surveys for a given landing site as it can provide scientific and operational support in exploring subsurface resources and sample collections which can increase the efficiency of the EVA activities for potential human crews as part of the NASA Constellation Program. In this study we attempt to explore the operational challenges and their impact on the EVA scientific return for operating a rover mounted GPR in support of potential human activity on the moon. In this first field study, we mainly focused on the ability of GPR to support subsurface sample collection and explore shallow subsurface volatiles.

Horz, F.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Early detection of disease: The correlation of the volatile organic profiles from patients with upper respiratory infections with subjects of normal profiles

A method is described whereby a transevaporator is used for sampling 60-100 microns of aqueous sample. Volatiles are stripped from the sample either by a stream of helium and collection on a porous polymer, Tenax, or by 0.8 ml of 2-chloropropane and collected on glass beads. The volatiles are thermally desorbed into a precolumn which is connected to a capillary gas chromatographic column for analysis. The technique is shown to be reproducible and suitable for determining chromatographic profiles for a wide variety of sample types. Using a transevaporator sampling technique, the volatile profiles from 70 microns of serum were obtained by capillary column gas chromatography. The complex chromatograms were interpreted by a combination of manual and computer techniques and a two peak ratio method devised for the classification of normal and virus infected sera. Using the K-Nearest Neighbor approach, 85.7 percent of the unknown samples were classified correctly. Some preliminary results indicate the possible use of the method for the assessment of virus susceptibility.

Zlatkis, A.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Corals from Space

The goal of this research is to monitor the health and vigor of coral reef ecosystems, and their sensitivity to natural and anthropogenic climate changes. To achieve these lofty goals, this research is investigating the feasibility of using spaceborne high-resolution spectrometers (on the US Landsat, French Systeme Probatoire pour l'Observation de la Terre [SPOT] and/or the Indian Resources Satellite [IRS 1C & 1D] spacecraft) to first map the aerial extent of coral reef systems, and second separate the amount of particular corals. If this is successful, we could potentially provide a quantum leap in our understanding of coral reef systems, as well as provide much needed baseline data to measure future changes in global coral reef ecosystems. In collaboration with Tomas Tomascik, Yann Morel, and other colleagues, a series of experiments were planned to coordinate in situ coral observations, high-resolution spaceborne imagery (from Landsat, SPOT, and, possibly, IRS IC spacecraft), and NASA Space Shuttle photographs and digital images. Our eventual goal is to develop "coral health algorithms" that can be used to assess time series of imagery collected from satellite sensors (Landsat since 1972, SPOT since 1986) in concert with in situ observations. The bad news from last year was that from 1997 to mid- 1998, the extreme cloudiness over southeast Asia due to prolonged smoke from El Nino-related fires and the economic chaos in this region frustrated both our space and reef-based data collection activities. When this volatile situation stabilizes, we will restart these activities. The good news was that in collaboration with Al Strong at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) we had an exciting year operationally using the NOAA's Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer sensor derived sea surface temperature products to warn of coral "bleaching" at many locations throughout the tropics. Data from NOAA's satellites showed that during the El Nino of 1997 and the first half of 1998, more ocean area in the tropics experienced exceptionally high sea surface temperatures, or "hot spots," than have been observed in any fall year since the El Nino of 1982. From January to July, the coral bleaching events were concentrated in the Southern Hemisphere (during its warm season). Since July 1998, the reports of extensive coral bleaching have again spread into regions of the Northern Hemisphere following abnormally high sea surface temperatures, especially around the Philippines and throughout the Caribbean Basin, Bahamas, Bermuda and Florida Keys. These El Nino induced events clearly demonstrated that corals are the "canaries of the marine ecosystem," highly sensitive to short-term natural climate events (El Nino), and should be monitored as measures of longer-term environmental and climate change. Additional information is contained in the original.

Patzert, William C.↗
NASA NTRS2002

ASTROCULTURE(tm) Commercial Plant Growth Unit and Glove Box Insert

Two commercial plant investigations will be conducted during the STS-107 mission: living flower essential oil production and gene transfer. The research will be done using the ASTROCULTURE (trademark) hardware, which builds on similar experiments flown in the past on the space shuttle. This research will investigate how microgravity might affect the formation of the volatile chemical compounds - the essential oils - produced by two different types of living flowers. The flowers will be cultured in the ASTROCULTURE (trademark) plant chamber, which provides an enclosed and controlled environment. As the flowers bloom in space, they will produce essential oils, and these volatile compounds will be collected using International Flavors and Fragrance's proprietary Solid Phase Micro Extraction (SPME) technology. The gene transfer experiment examines a newly developed transformation system to see if it operates efficiently in the microgravity environment. This research is important for the development of genetically engineered crops, also known as transgenic crops.

Wei-Jia Zhou↗
NASA NTRS2015

Plume Collection Strategies for Icy World Sample Return

Three icy worlds in the solar system display evidence of pluming activity. Water vapor and ice particles emanate from cracks near the south pole of Saturn's moon Enceladus. The plume gas contains simple hydrocarbons that could be fragments of larger, more complex organics. More recently, observations using the Hubble and Herschel space telescopes have hinted at transient water vapor plumes at Jupiter's moon Europa and the dwarf planet Ceres. Plume materials may be ejected directly from possible sub-surface oceans, at least on Enceladus. In such oceans, liquid water, organics, and energy may co-exist, making these environments habitable. The venting of habitable ocean material into space provides a unique opportunity to capture this material during a relatively simple flyby mission and return it to Earth. Plume collection strategies should enable investigations of evidence for life in the returned samples via laboratory analyses of the structure, distribution, isotopic composition, and chirality of the chemical components (including biomolecules) of plume materials. Here, we discuss approaches for the collection of dust and volatiles during flybys through Enceladus' plume, based on Cassini results and lessons learned from the Stardust comet sample return mission. We also highlight areas where sample collector and containment technology development and testing may be needed for future plume sample return missions.

Stardust Collector↗
NASA NTRS1992

Abundances of sodium, sulfur, and potassium in lunar volcanic glasses: Evidence for volatile loss during eruption

Six varieties of lunar volcanic glass are known to occur within the Apollo 17 sample collection. Investigations have shown that 25 volatile elements are known to be concentrated on the exterior surfaces of individual volcanic glass spheres. Since bulk analyses of volcanic glass provide an integrated abundance of an element on and with the glass spherules, other methods must be relied on to determine the interior abundance of an element. The interior abundance of an element with a volcanic glass sphere establishes the abundance of that element in the melt at the time of quench. The current study is part of a comprehensive attempt to measure the abundance of three volatile elements (Na, S, and K) within representative spheres of the 25 varieties of lunar volcanic glass currently known to exist at the Apollo landing sites. Comparison of the measured abundances of these elements within the interiors of individual glasses with bulk analyses and crystalline mare basalts will furnish new constraints on the geochemical behavior of volatile elements during lunar mare volcanism.

Delano, J. W.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Cold and Cryogenic Curation of Lunar Volatile Samples Returned to Earth

The study of volatile compounds and volatile elements, such as H, He, C, N, O, H2O, CH4, SO2, CO, CO2, NH3, HCN, etc., are commonly used for constraining evolutionary processes on planets, satellites, and asteroids, as well as formulating models of solar system formation. For Lunar science, the recent evidence of regolith and rocks containing small amounts of OH- and/or H2O has renewed scientific interest into the study of lunar volatiles [1, 2]. Future lunar sample return missions will include the study of volatiles as a high priority. Comet particles from the Stardust mission, asteroid particles from Hayabusa, meteorites, and subsurface lunar samples all occupied subfreezing environments prior to collection. Valuable geochemical information on volatiles is often lost when these samples are allowed to reach ambient temperatures on Earth. The ability to store, document, subdivide, and transport extraterrestrial geologic samples while maintaining below freezing or cryogenic temperatures is required for the complete scientific study of such samples, as well as future samples from a wide range of solar system bodies.

Calaway, M. J.↗
NASA NTRS2011

RESOLVE: Regolith and Environment Science and Oxygen and Lunar Volatile Extraction

Regolith & Environment Science and Oxygen & Lunar Volatile Extraction (RESOLVE) is an internationally developed payload that is intended to prospect for resources on other planetary bodies. RESOLVE is a miniature drilling and chemistry plant packaged onto a medium-sized rover to collect and analyze soil for volatile components such as water or hydrogen that could be used in human exploration efforts.

Quinn, Jacqueline↗
NASA NTRS1986

A gas chromatograph experiment for a Titan entry probe

Development of a gas chromatographic technique for analysis of aerosols and volatile organics from a Titan probe is now in progress. Preliminary investigations of aerosol collectors have shown that an electrostatic device should be the most efficient for the particle sizes expected in Titan's atmosphere. Such a device particularly lends itself to development of a simple pyrolyzer which can be used to break down any collected organic conglomerate structures into volatile fragments. Those fragments can subsequently be analyzed by GC providing information about the original chemical structure of the aerosols. Studies show that as little as 1 to 5 micrograms of model aerosol can be successfully analyzed. High altitude atmospheric gas sampling will also be important on Titan due to the great depth of the atmosphere. Studies show that a GC analysis of model Titan atmospheres at pressures approximating this altitude can be made with a sensitivity of a few ten's of parts-per-billion for the trace gases of interest.

Carle, G. C.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

The Comet Astrobiology Exploration Sample Return (CAESAR) Mission

The Comet Astrobiology Exploration Sample Return (CAESAR) mission will acquire and return to Earth for laboratory analysis a minimum of 80 grams of surface material from the nucleus of comet 67P/Chur-yumov-Gerasimenko (67P). CAESAR will characterize the surface region sampled, preserve the collected sample in a pristine state, and return evolved volatiles by capturing them in a separate gas reservoir. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center provides project management, systems engineering, safety and mission assurance, contamination control, mission operations, and many other important functions. Northrop Grumman Space Systems will build the spacecraft, based on Dawn mission heritage, which like CAESAR, uses solar electric propulsion. CAESAR was selected by for Phase A study in the New Frontiers 4 Competition and will be proposed to New Frontiers 5.Collection of a sample from the surface of comet 67P is facilitated by a set of cameras that together provide images to support sample site selection, perform optical navigation, and document the sample before, during, and after col-lection. The sample is collected at the end of an arm during a 5-second touch-and-go (TAG) maneuver with the Sample Acquisition System (SAS)designed by Honeybee Robotics for the surface properties of comet 67P observed by the Rosetta mission. After sample collection, and while the sample is still cold (< -80°C), the TAG Arm inserts the sample container into the Sample Containment System (SCS) mounted inside the Sample Return Capsule (SRC). The SCS is sealed, preventing the sample from escaping into space. The sample is slowly warmed inside the SCS to enable sublimation of volatiles, which are collected in the Gas Containment System (GCS), a passively cooled gas reservoir. Separating the volatiles from the solid sample protects the solid sample from alteration. Once all sublimated H2O is transferred to the GCS, the GCS is sealed to capture the volatile sit contains, and the SCS is vented to space to maintain the solid sample under vacuum. The SCS vent is closed before Earth entry to prevent atmospheric contamination. Detailed laboratory analyses of the sample from 67P will trace the history of volatile reservoirs, delineate the chemical pathways that led from simple interstellar species to complex molecules, constrain the evolution of the comet, and evaluate the role of comets in delivering water and prebiotic organics to the early Earth. CAESAR will achieve these goals by carrying out coordinated sample analyses that will link macroscopic properties of the comet with microscale mineralogy, chemistry, and isotopic studies of volatiles and solids. Most of the sample (≥75%) will be set aside for analyses by generations of scientists using continually advancing tools and methods, yielding an enduring scientific treasure that only sample return can provide. This presentation will review development conducted during NF4 Phase A and discuss the NF5 mission concept.

A G Hayes↗