Mass Spectrometer
A mass spectrometer is an analytical instrument that measures the mass-to-charge ratio of ions. It works by ionizing chemical compounds to generate charged molecules or molecular fragments and then separating those ions based on their mass-to-charge ratio. The separated ions are then detected and analyzed to determine the chemical composition of the sample. Mass spectrometers have a wide range of applications in space and astronautical engineering, including the analysis of planetary atmospheres, the detection of trace amounts of organic compounds in space, and the characterization of rocket propellants and other spacecraft materials.
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