'MicroMED' Optical Particle Counter: From Design to Flight Model
- Resource Type
- Authors
- Marianna Magni; Pietro Valnegri; Bortolino Saggin; Fabio Cozzolino; Diego Scaccabarozzi; Francesca Esposito; Riccardo Somaschini; Cesare Molfese; Giuseppe Mongelluzzo
- Source
- Sensors (Basel, Switzerland)
Sensors
Volume 20
Issue 3
Sensors, Vol 20, Iss 3, p 611 (2020)
- Subject
- Spectrum analyzer
thermo-mechanical design
lcsh:Chemical technology
01 natural sciences
Biochemistry
Collimated light
Article
Analytical Chemistry
010309 optics
ExoMars 2020
MicroMED
Planet
0103 physical sciences
Thermal
flight model
lcsh:TP1-1185
Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Aerospace engineering
010303 astronomy & astrophysics
Instrumentation
Martian
qualification testing
Payload
business.industry
Dust Suite
Flight model
Qualification testing
Thermo‐mechanical design
Mars Exploration Program
Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Environmental science
business
Particle counter
- Language
- ISSN
- 1424-8220
MicroMED (Micro Martian Environmental Dust Systematic Analyzer (MEDUSA)) instrument was selected for the ExoMars 2020 mission to study the airborne dust on the red planet through in situ measurements of the size distribution and concentration. This characterization has never been done before and would have a strong impact on the understanding of Martian climate and Aeolian processes on Mars. The MicroMED is an optical particle counter that exploits the measured intensity of light scattered by dust particles when crossing a collimated laser beam. The measurement technique is well established for laboratory and ground applications but in order to be mounted on the Dust Suite payload within the framework of ExoMars 2020 mission, the instrument must be compatible with harsh mechanical and thermal environments and the tight mass budget of the mission payload. This work summarizes the thermo-mechanical design of the instrument, the manufacturing of the flight model and its successful qualification in expected thermal and mechanical environments.