NASA’s Dragonfly mission is a rotorcraft lander which will explore several geologic locations on Saturn’s moon, Titan and investigate evidence of surface-level prebiotic chemistry as well as search for chemical signatures of water-based and/or hydrocarbon-based life. To perform molecular composition investigations in-situ, the payload includes the Dragonfly Mass Spectrometer (DraMS), being developed at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). DraMS will utilize laser desorption mass spectrometry (LDMS) to interrogate surface samples and measure the organic composition. Enabling this science capability is the Throttled Hydrocarbon Analysis by Nanosecond Optical Source (THANOS) laser being developed at NASA-GSFC. The THANOS laser is comprised of a solid state, passively Q-Switched Nd:YAG oscillator which is frequency converted to 266 nm and utilizes a RTP high voltage electro-optic for pulse energy control. The laser outputs <2.0 ns pulses with a maximum energy of approximately 200 uJ which can be emitted in 1 - 50 shot bursts at 100 Hz while performing LDMS science operations. The laser has the capability to throttle its UV pulse energy output from full attenuation to maximum energy to provide varying levels of fluence on samples in the DraMS instrument. We report on the THANOS’ laser technology development and space qualification effort including vibration, thermal vacuum cycling, radiation as well as optical damage testing due to Titan’s atmospheric composition, performed at NASA-GSFC from 2019 through 2022.

Technology development of a solid state 266 nm laser for NASA’s Dragonfly mission

The Dragonfly Mass Spectrometer (DraMS) being developed at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center will use a solidstate 266-nm pulsed Nd:YAG laser to perform compositional analysis on the surface of Titan. Due to the high fluence of the focused pulse energy on the laser’s beam steering unit (BSU) and the mass spectrometer window, the damage threshold of these optics in a Titan atmosphere needed to be characterized. This paper details the test setup and the successful demonstration of testing the highest fluence optics for the expected mission duration of 2 million laser pulses in a Titanrelevant atmosphere.

Damage threshold testing of UV optics under a Titan environment for NASA’s Dragonfly mission

As part of the laser development process, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) requested support from the NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) to independently assess the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of the LISA Laser System (LS). The independent assessment included the following tasks: (a) assess the design for weaknesses and suggest improvements to mitigate risks, (b) assess the laser reliability plan for weaknesses and suggest improvements to mitigate risks and improve effectiveness, and (c) assess the current redundancy plan on laser subsystems for weaknesses and suggest improvements to mitigate risks and improve effectiveness. The presentation will focus on the assessment findings and the current development progress of the LISA laser to meet the mission requirements with a delivery of a form, fit, and functional TRL6 laser to the LISA mission by late 2023. 

Independent reliability assessment of the laser transmitter for the ESA-NASA Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) Program (Conference Presentation)

In this effort, we demonstrate the performance of a highly stable time reference for the proposed Black Hole Explorer (BHEX) mission, a space-based extension to the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) project. This precision timing system is based on the use of a space-qualified, ultralow noise laser developed as part of the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission as the timing reference, and an optical frequency comb to transfer the stability of this laser to the microwave regime for instrumentation use. We describe the implementation of this system and experimental setup to characterize the stability performance. We present the results of this experiment that demonstrate the performance of this system meets requirements for the BHEX mission. 

Ultra-low noise laser and optical frequency comb-based timing system for the Black Hole Explorer (BHEX) mission

NASA’s Dragonfly mission will sample surface materials from multiple sites on Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, in exploration of prebiotic chemistry. We report on the performance of our short-pulsed UV laser transmitter, developed for the Dragonfly’s on-board Mass Spectrometer (DraMS). Our Engineering Test Unit (ETU) has completed flight qualification and demonstrated its operational science requirements, such that the final spaceflight unit build can begin. The Titan Hydrocarbon Analysis Nanosecond Optical Source (THANOS) ETU laser produces 266 nm laser pulses at programmable energy levels to perform high resolution Laser Desorption Mass Spectrometry (LDMS) measurements. The laser operates in bursts of one to 50 pulses, each at ⪅ 2 ns pulse width with a pulse energy of 0 - 200 uJ, at a 100 Hz repetition rate. This paper details the qualification process of the THANOS laser as well as the rigorous characterization performed to ensure consistent performance of the system during laboratory testing, while integrated onto the DraMS instrument and most critically, while operating on the distant surface of Titan.

Performance of the dragonfly mass spectrometer (DraMS) programmable UV laser source engineering test unit (ETU)

NASA’s Dragonfly mission will sample surface materials from multiple sites on Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, in exploration of its potential for prebiotic chemistry. We are developing and delivering a compact pulsed UV laser transmitter, developed in-house at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, capable of directing programmable 266 nm pulse energies to a small sample of surface material for laser desorption mass spectrometry (LDMS) performed by the on-board Dragonfly Mass Spectrometer (DraMS). The mail goal for this effort was to develop a flight-capable, two-part design, employing a remotely located fiber coupled pumping source, and a UV transmitter unit that can operate in short bursts with minimal change in laser pulse characteristics such as beam quality, pointing, energy, and pulse width. The DraMS UV source will require a 7+ year transit to the Saturn system; where upon deployment on Titan’s surface, must demonstrate a combination of survivability, reliability, operational capability, and performance yet developed in a flight-qualified solid-state laser transmitter. Once Dragonfly is safely operational, the Titan Hydrocarbon Analysis Nanosecond Optical Source (THANOS) UV laser will perform for 3+ years in Titan’s extreme surface and atmospheric conditions in several locations.

Development of a programmable UV laser source for the Dragonfly Mass Spectrometer (DraMS)

The Dragonfly Mass Spectrometer (DraMS) being developed at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center will use a solidstate 266-nm pulsed Nd:YAG laser to perform compositional analysis on the surface of Titan. Due to the high fluence of the focused pulse energy on the laser’s beam steering unit (BSU) and the mass spectrometer window, the damage threshold of these optics in a Titan atmosphere needed to be characterized. This paper details the test setup and the successful demonstration of testing the highest fluence optics for the expected mission duration of 2 million laser pulses in a Titanrelevant atmosphere. 

Dragonfly mass spectrometer titan environment optical damage testing

The in Situ Spectroscopic Europa Explorer (iSEE) instrument is an ultra-compact laser-enabled Raman spectrometer instrument that meets the top-level science requirements for multiple future planetary in situ missions to explore the surface and atmospheric chemistry of planetary bodies across the Solar System. Enceladus, Europa, the Moon, Mars, and Venus are some of the primary targets for future NASA missions to search for extraterrestrial life and potentially habitable environments beyond Earth, further our understanding of the timing and formation of the Solar System, and identify potentially viable economic resources such as water and/or valuable metal assets. We report on the advancement and space flight qualification of a compact, robust, solid-state laser operating at 515 nm that serves as the excitation source for the iSEE investigation.

Solid-state Laser Development for the in Situ Spectroscopic Europa Explorer Instrument

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