Orbitrap Research and Development Laboratory (ORDL)
Orbitrap Research and Development Laboratory
The Orbitrap Research and Development Lab (ORDL) houses instruments that incorporate high mass resolution, high mass accuracy mass analyzers called OrbitrapsTM . These mass analyzers have been sold by Thermo-Fisher since 2005 and enable determination of exact molecular formulas for most compounds under 500 Daltons. The ORDL focuses on highly confident chemical analysis of terrestrial materials and planetary analogs using technologically advanced hardware miniaturized and ruggedized for spaceflight applications and the in situ exploration of planetary surfaces.
Orbitrap Research and Development Laboratory - Equipment
The lab houses three novel instrument prototypes resulting from a strong collaboration between NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and the Univ. of Maryland, College Park with support from colleagues at the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS). These include CORALS (Characterization of Ocean Residues and Life Signatures) an instrument developed for a Europa lander, CRATER (Characterization of Regolith and Trace Economic Resources) and instrument for the Moon, and AROMA (Advanced Resolution Organic Molecular Analyzer), a versatile instrument for airless bodies. All three instruments leverage UV lasers to ionize both refractory and mildly volatile compounds (laser desorption/ablation ionization). Each instrument has a laser desorption inlet uniquely designed for the type of target they expect to analyze and Crater brandishes a deeper (213 nm) laser. They also utilize a MEMS stirrer mirror to raster the laser across the sample and see how composition varies across the field of view. AROMA is the largest instrument and, unlike CORALS and CRATER, includes a heritage linear ion trap integrated to an Orbitrap mimicking the functionality of Thermo-Fischer’s LTQ Orbitrap XL instrument. This integration combines the capabilities of a linear ion trap, namely tandem mass spectrometry, e.g. MSn , which informs helps to resolve molecular structure, with the high mas resolution/accuracy of the Orbitrap. . Furthermore, it incorporates an electron ionization source that can analyze volatile compounds. To date, CORALS prototypes have analyzed and detected salts, amino acids, nucleobases, fatty acids, dyes, 3mer and 4mer peptides, mineralogical standards, and meteorites. In the future, this lab will continue to incorporate additional analytical techniques to further resolve molecular structure.
