This is a key technology in the CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative as part of NASA's Artemis campaign, as reported by Inficon Holding AG in Bad Ragaz, Switzerland. The aim of this program is to return humans to the moon and ultimately to Mars. Before sending astronauts, Nasa relies on the Msolo and similar robotic exploration devices to characterize and prepare lunar landing sites and gather information about its resources for a long-term lunar base. Inficon's Transpector MPH is the technology behind the Msolo instrument, which will help analyze the lunar environment by quantifying the amount of water present in the regolith and measuring other volatiles that may be present, according to the release. It will be the first U.S.-made mass spectrometer to fly to the moon since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972, and the first commercially available mass spectrometer to be used for lunar surface exploration.
"This project has taken more than twelve years, but we are going to the moon. With the smart gas sensors we are providing for the lander, we will be able to answer important scientific questions," says Dr. Andres Diaz, university professor and lead researcher at Inficon, who has been involved in the project since 2012.
In preparation for the launch, Nasa worked with Inficon to make the components of the mass spectrometer robust enough to withstand the conditions in space. It underwent numerous tests and validations to ensure the instrument's suitability for flight.