A flight version of FLEXEMS could be used on nearly any NASA mission that has the detection and identification of organics as one of its goals. Because FLEXEMS is inherently a stand-off instrument requiring no consumables, it requires no complicated sample-handling and can take a variety of different form-factors to suit the mission architecture: flow-through measurements of extraterrestrial water or melted ices; surface measurements of ices or minerals; integrated into optical microscopes or microfluidic platforms; etc. Because FLEXEMS requires no consumables, it could be used indefinitely making it especially well-suited for long-duration missions where it could serve as both a primary instrument or a triage instrument for other instruments that may have a limited number of uses. Target extraterrestrial bodies FLEXEMS would be ideal to explore include Europa, Enceladus, comets and asteroids, Mars, and the permanently-shadowed craters of Moon. Additionally, its miniature size makes it suitable for Small- Sat missions to study organics such as O/OREOS. For terrestrial use, it will allow researchers in NASA's Space Science and Astrobiology Division to quantify the presence of different minerals and organics during analog field research and laboratory research.
FLEXEMS has many uses outside of NASA. Due to its sensitivity, specificity, and portability, it would be very useful for (1) environmental research of terrestrial and marine waters (e.g., DOM, humic and fulvic acid studies, aromatic pollutants), (2) process control and monitoring of closed and recycled water systems (e.g., Naval shipboard water monitoring, water treatment, municipal water recycling plants), (3) pollution monitoring of water, soils and sediments (e.g., PAHs, pesticides, and fuels), (5) the detection of biological weapons (e.g., Anthrax). Considering only (1) and (2), it is anticipated that total 5- year revenue may be as high as $20M.
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