Validation Test Results from the Vehicle Cabin Atmosphere Monitor

We report on the results from validation testing the Vehicle Cabin Atmosphere Monitor (VCAM). VCAM is an autonomous environmental monitor based on a miniature gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer and is scheduled to be flown to the International Space Station (ISS) on shuttle mission STS-131. VCAM is capable of providing measurements of both ppb levels of volatile constituents and the atmospheric major constituents (nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide) in a space vehicle or station. It is designed to operate autonomously and maintenance free, approximately once per day, with a self-contained gas supply sufficient for a one-year lifetime. VCAM performance is sufficient to detect and identify 90% of the target compounds specified at the 24-hour Spacecraft Maximum Allowable Concentration level. This paper presents a summary of the pre-flight validation test results for VCAM.