MOMA laser integrated into Analytical Lab Drawer

04 June 2019
News

The Analytical Lab Drawer (ALD) of the rover for the ExoMars 2020 mission of the European Space Agency (ESA) is now fully assembled and tested by Thales Alenia Space, Turin. The laser of the LZH is a central component of the Mars Organic Molecule Analyzer (MOMA) measuring instrument, which is built in the ALD.

Now, in the next step, the ALD will be integrated into the rover "Rosalind Franklin". This rover is provided by Airbus Defense and Space, GB. The rover shall take soil samples with a drill. These samples shall then be examined by the ALD for biomarkers, which would be indications of earlier life on Mars.

The MOMA laser developed by the LZH will ionize soil samples and then use a mass spectrometer to examine the sample for its molecular composition.

More information in the Thales press release:
https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/worldwide/space/press_release/thales-alenia-space-marks-key-milestone-exomars-2020-esa-mission

More information about the MOMA laser:
https://www.lzh.de/en/pressemitteilung/2017/hannover-around-world-and-mars-lzh-delivers-laser-exomars-2020

Video about the installation:
http://www.esa.int/spaceinvideos/Videos/2019/05/ExoMars_rover_science_laboratory_fitted