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For coverage of air analyses in multi-module spacecraft, an additional monitoring strategy has been worked out - a complete spacecraft monitoring system. ...In the spacecraft, small and lightweight enrichment systems and Smart Gas Sensor detection systems (artificial nose) are distributed covering measurements with extremely low detection limits as well as measurements for immediate warning on local changes in the cabin air.

This paper presents the results of the breadboarding study phase of a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR) based trace gas monitor for the use on-board a manned spacecraft. The FTIR system configuration includes a multiple-reflection long path gas cell, a half-wavenumber resolution interferometer, and a mercury-cadmium-telluride (MCT) detector. ...The achieved results show high accuracy in detecting trace gases in the range between the (lower) long-term and (higher) short-term Spacecraft Maximum Allowable Concentration (SMAC) limits. The project has demonstrated a good proof-of-concept for the use of an FTIR system in manned space flights.

This paper presents the status of ongoing BB studies for an optimized trace gas monitoring (TGM) system configured to simultaneously and quasi-online detect (quantitatively and qualitatively) 30 different trace gases in manned spacecraft. The system principle relies on the detection of molecule absorption lines in the infrared being converted into a measured spectrum by a Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectrometer.

Through the last decade ESA (European Space Agency) have developed a TGM (Trace Gas Monitoring) system for spacecraft air analysis from paper study to a fully operational breadboard [1–9]. The TGM system is a combination of FTIR spectrometry and specially developed analysis techniques.

Many miniature SGS units with high sensitivity may be distributed in the spacecraft to give very fast detection of any rapid local change in the cabin air quality (‘gas event’).