Remote UV Fluorescence Lifetime Spectrometer

In-situ studies of the rocks, minerals, and soil on the Moon's surface provide a wealth of information during field geology and the mining phase for planetary resource identification. Sensitive optical spectroscopic instruments such as X-ray fluorescence spectrometers coupled with UV fluorescence spectroscopy is vital for lunar science. Many moon rock samples contain mineral oxides in the forms of Al2O3, TiO2, FeO, MnO, MgO, Cr2O3, Na2O and CaO. Further tests have shown that some of them exhibit fluorescence when exposed to UV light. Traditional UV fluorescence spectroscopy used in analysis of organic and inorganic materials utilizes power hungry, bulky lasers. Recently introduced UV-LED and semiconductor UV lasers with powers > 10 mW are small, reliable, and power efficient making them ideal for use in space exploration. Redondo Optics Inc, a world leader in design and development of fluorescent scientific instruments, proposes to develop a highly innovative and sensitive, light-weight, hand-held space qualified frequency domain fluorescence lifetime measurement system for NASA using heterodyne cross correlation technique. The instrument also includes an ultra miniature 340-780 nm spectrophotometer. The combined spectrometer utilizes lowest power COTS electronics components for fast and accurate estimation of fluorescence lifetimes to identify the rocks spectral signature.