HANKA> CubeSat Space Dust Analyser

Mass spectrometry plays an important role in advancing space exploration. It provides unique insights into the composition of space dust, micrometeorites, and particles from distant large objects and can be used both in orbit and on the surface of an asteroid.The space instrument HANKA (Hmotnostní ANalyzér pro Kosmické Aplikace) is a high-resolution mass spectrometer based on an electrostatic ion trap, which is a principal component of commercial instruments[1] established in biology and medicine research, the so-called Orbitrap™, and the space CosmOrbitrap prototype (developed in LPC2E Orleans[2]). HANKA can take this new technology into space, combining a compact CubeSat space version of this high-resolution ion trap mass analyzer with a velocity/charge detector and hypervelocity impact ionization source.Figure 1:  HANKA – CubeSat space version (a), laboratory prototype (b), and preliminary data from EI source(c)[3]Based on the results obtained from the laboratory prototype, a miniature CubeSat version of the high-resolution mass spectrometer for in-situ exploration in space will be constructed. The proposed parameters of the CubeSat module HANKA are:> Resolution: up to 50 000 at m/z 200         > Mass Range: 2 – 3000 m/z > Dimension: 200x200x100 mm (4U) > Weight: < 6kg> Power:  5-10 WAcknowledgements: This work was supported by the Czech Science Foundation (grant No. 21-11931J)References[1] Makarov, A.; Anal. Chem. 2000, 72, 1156–1162.[2] Briois C., Thissen R., Thirkell L., et al.; Planet Space Sci. 2016, 131, 33‐45.[3] Zymak Y., Zabka J., Polášek M., et al.; al.; Aerospace 2023, 10(6), 522.