Fast Elemental and Molecular Interrogation Sensor (FEMIS) for In-Situ Lunar and Martian Resource Utilization

For lunar (expandable to Martian) ISRU applications, a novel small SWaP LIBS suite, Fast Elemental and Molecular Interrogation Sensor (FEMIS), is designed to provide real-time identification of geochemical composition of lunar regolith using an innovative elemental + molecular LIBS technology. Having rapid and intense signal responses, obviating the need to physically touch the surface in order to collect a sample for analysis, and affected very little by the surface shape, roughness, and composition irregularity, this proposed FEMIS instrument will be an integrated system with a small SWaP UV/Visible/NIR + LWIR LIBS laser detector suite to collect the broadband (both UV-Visible-NIR and long-wave IR) signals from the operational surface. nbsp;nbsp;FEMIS offers real-time identifications of elemental abundances, REEs, and regolith mineral/chemical composition within seconds without the need of preparing the abrasive lunar/Martian regolith samples. Spectral data processing algorithms and prediction models will be developed for FEMIS to achieve fully automated real-time sorting/mapping of lunar/Martian regolith resource with minimum maintenance.nbsp;