Description: During extended phase II, RadMet will use its prototype Ice Grain Accelerator to evaluate ice particle capture hardware intended for a privately funded life detection mission to Enceladus being designed by an investing partner. We will assist NASA in integrating the Ice Grain Accelerator system delivered in Phase II into ice particle sampling systems under development at JPL. The company will explore the commercial potential of two innovations developed in phase II, specifically a novel in-vacuum ice particle ion source, and its custom charge detection mass spectrometry (CDMS) hardware created for the Ice Grain Accelerator.

Benefits: RadMet’s continued development of theoretical and practical experience in the generation, acceleration, and capture of microscopic ice particles in vacuum will benefit numerous investigations by NASA and its partners that are focused on sampling and analysis of icy material in the plumes of Saturn’s moon Enceladus. The methods we are developing could also find use in the development of missions for sampling material in the coma and tail of an icy comet.

RadMet believes that there is significant commercial potential for its novel ice particle ion source in the analysis of nano-particles, such as viruses, in the growing field of Charge Detection Mass Spectrometry (CDMS). The company’s highly sensitive, charge detection hardware/electronics module could be marketed for CDMS as well as to the university and industrial aerosol research community.