Skylab-era Mass Spectrometer Sensor System made by Perkin-Elmer’s Aerospace Division of Pomona, California, 14 x 7.5 x 7.25, with opposing ends featuring various valves and capped ports; one side contains labels marked as “Sample Outlet,” “Sample Inlet,” and “Pump Out,” and the other side has three ports identified as J1, J2, and J3. The cylinder’s front bears the parts label: “Mass Spectrometer Sensor System, Stock No. DVTU No. 2, Serial No. 006, Part No. 34 3768, Cont. No. NAS9-9799, Ranges-Torr. N2 O-660, O2 O-330, CO2 O-23.1, H20 O-33, H2 0-3.3, THC 0-.33.” In fine condition, with scattered marks and scuffs.
For long-duration space missions, monitoring of the spacecraft atmosphere is of the utmost importance. Usually, oxygen and carbon dioxide levels are measured routinely. However, for longer-duration missions such as Skylab and the International Space Station, some means of measuring other molecules in the spacecraft atmosphere is necessary to monitor for potentially harmful atmospheric contaminants. On-board experiments, outgassing of materials, potential leakage of coolants, and other sources may contaminate the atmosphere. Mass spectrometry is a sensitive method for measuring such potential contaminants (as well as for ‘normal’ atmospheric components). This Mass Spectrometer was a prototype for potential use in monitoring the Skylab atmosphere. NASA Contract NAS9-9799 defined the development and production of flight magnetic mass spectrometer systems for use in the NASA Skylab program, designed for spacecraft atmosphere analysis.
