Title :
XTRA: A miniature XRD/XRF regolith analyzer for planetary missions to airless bodies
Author :
Blake, David ; Bish, David ; Taylor, Jeff ; Vaniman, David ; Sarrazin, Philippe ; Chipera, Steve
Author_Institution :
Ames Res. Center, Exobiology Branch, NASA, Moffett Field, CA, USA
Abstract :
XTRA is a miniature XRD/XRF instrument intended for use on small rovers and landers destined for solid solar system objects without substantive atmospheres (i.e., the Earth´s Moon, asteroids, comets, Mercury, or the moons of Mars. The technology of XTRA derives from the CheMin XRD/XRF instrument on Mars Science Laboratory (MSL), augmented by improvements developed through Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) grants and commercial product developments. XTRA utilizes a reflection geometry, a microfocus X-ray tube and a cooled CCD operated in direct detection mode. The reflection geometry allows for fine-grained regolith to be scooped and dumped into sample holders which are shaken during analysis to improve diffraction statistics during XRD pattern acquisition.
Keywords :
Mercury (planet); X-ray diffraction; X-ray tubes; asteroids; astronomical instruments; comets; planetary rovers; planetary surfaces; CheMin XRD instrument; CheMin XRF instrument; Earth Moon; Mars; Mars Science Laboratory; Mercury; Small Business Innovative Research grants; XRD pattern acquisition; XTRA; airless bodies; asteroids; comets; cooled CCD system; diffraction statistical analysis; direct detection mode; fine-grained regolith; microfocus X- ray tube; miniature XRD regolith analyzer; miniature XRF regolith analyzer; planetary missions; reflection geometry; small rover system; solid solar system objects; Charge coupled devices; Geometry; Instruments; Materials; Moon; Reflection; X-ray scattering;
Conference_Titel :
Aerospace Conference, 2012 IEEE
Conference_Location :
Big Sky, MT
Print_ISBN :
978-1-4577-0556-4
DOI :
10.1109/AERO.2012.6187063
