National Space Day is celebrated annually in the US on the first Friday of May; this year Space Day will be celebrated on Friday the 6th of May. The celebration was created to promote STEM amongst young people1. However, it also offers an opportunity for the public to celebrate the extraordinary achievements and opportunities space exploration provides.
Here at Isotopx, we are celebrating National Space Day by highlighting the fascinating techniques which have assisted in space exploration.
Spectrometer Applications in Space
Mass Spectrometry Application in Space
A fundamental analytical tool for space exploration is mass spectrometry. Mass spectrometers are involved in various aspects of space exploration. Mass spectrometry was first used for space exploration in the late 1950s at the US Naval Research Laboratory in Washington DC.2 Mass spectrometers provide analysis of the composition of the atmosphere and terrain, whilst also ensuring safety of astronauts, as it can be used to monitor the air quality within spacecrafts.3
Mass spectrometers have had a significant impact on our knowledge of Earth and the surrounding solar system. As a reliable, sturdy, adaptive appliance, mass spectroscopy will continue to assist in future discoveries of the universe.
At Isotopx we offer a variety of Mass Spectrometers:
Discover our Spectrometers
Discover Isotopx world class Mass Spectrometers. For further information, please do not hesitate to contact us and our team will be happy to help.
Find out more about Space Spectrometers
Read our sister company, Edinburgh Instruments’, article about the use of Raman Spectroscopy in Space: Celebrating Space Spectrometers and National Space Day at Edinburgh Instruments.
Find out about Space Sensors
Learn how Gas Sensors are used in space and the role our sister company Edinburgh Sensors plays: Celebrating Space Sensors on National Space Day at Edinburgh Sensors.
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References
1 https://www.twinkl.co.uk/event/space-day-2022
2 https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20100039433/downloads/20100039433.pdf