HANKA - cubesat space high resolution mass analyser

<p>Application of mass spectrometry in the space exploration has recently become a hot topic. It can be used for the analysis of space dust, micrometeorites and particles from larger objects.</p><p>For the Czech <strong><em>SLAVIA</em></strong> (<strong><em>S</em></strong>pace <strong><em>L</em></strong>aboratory for <strong><em>A</em></strong>dvanced <strong><em>V</em></strong>ariable <strong><em>I</em></strong>nstruments and <strong><em>A</em></strong>pplications) satellite project (expected to be launched in 2026 to the SSO 600km orbit) was designed the <strong><em>HANKA</em></strong> (<strong><em>H</em></strong>motnostný <strong><em>AN</em></strong>alyzér pre <strong><em>K</em></strong>ozmické <strong><em>A</em></strong>plikace) space instrument - a high-resolution Orbitrap-based  electrostatic ion trap mass analyser. The instrument is based on a commercial mass analyser<sup>1</sup> established in biology and medicine research, the so-called Orbitrap™  and the space CosmOrbitrap prototype (developed by LPC2E Orleans<sup>2</sup>). <strong><em>HANKA </em></strong>will bring this new technology into space to combine a CubeSat space version (4U) of this ion trap analyzer with an innovative in-situ hypervelocity impact ionization source for micrometeoroids.</p><p>A laboratory version of this instrument (<strong><em>CIARA</em></strong>) is currently under construction, where ions can be generated by three different methods:</p><ul><li>Photons with molecules in the liquid phase (coupled with experiment <strong><em>LILBID<br></em></strong>(Laser Induced Liquid Bead Ion Desorption)</li> <li>Electrons with molecules in the gas phase (<strong><em>EI</em></strong> source)</li> <li>Photons with solid-phase molecules (<strong><em>MALDI</em></strong> or Laser Ablation)<br><p><img src="https://contentmanager.copernicus.org/fileStorageProxy.php?f=gnp.8abc3c5da48260032682561/sdaolpUECMynit/2202CSPE&app=m&a=0&c=f8ee6757e801386e3fca780edbd7e88e&ct=x&pn=gnp.elif&d=1" alt="" width="578" height="184"><br>Based on the results obtained on the laboratory prototype, a CubeSat version of the high-resolution space mass spectrometer - <strong><em>HANKA</em></strong> - will be constructed.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>References</strong></p> <p><sup>1</sup>Makarov, A.; <em>Anal. Chem</em>. <strong>2000, </strong>72, 1156–1162.</p> <p><sup>2</sup>Briois C, Thissen R, Thirkell L, et al.; <em>Planet Space Sci. </em><strong>2016</strong>, 131, 33‐45.</p> <p><sup>3</sup>Zymak Y. et al.; article in preparation</p> </li> </ul>