Anita (Iss)

Short description: Instrument on ISS

ANITA (Analysing Interferometer for Ambient Air) is a trace gas monitoring system for the International Space Station ISS. It is developed by OHB and SINTEF under contract of ESA.

Working principle

ANITA is based on Fourier-Transform-Infrared-Spectroscopy FTIR. Each measured gas absorbts light in a certain frequency, these spectral lines are analysed and a gas concentration is calculated.

Development

ANITA-1 was operating from Sept 2007 until Aug 2008 on board the ISS. It weighed >55kg which was distributed in 2 Middeck Locker Inserts and a Laptop. Power consumption was approx. 150W. It was able to measure more than 32 trace gases on board the ISS.^[1]^[2]

ANITA-2 launched on SpaceX CRS-24 in Dec. 2021. It has been significantly reduced in size (1 Middeck Locker Insert) and mass (<38kg). The total power consumption is approx. 80W. It features WiFi Connection and a Touch Screen for a more versatile use. Compared to ANITA-1 it has a significantly increased (~factor 4) Signal to Noise Ratio allowing lower detection limits. ANITA-2 is calibrated to detect 37 gases, mostly with a detection limit well below 1ppm.^[3]^[4] ANITA-2 was installed in an Express Rack inside the Destiny Lab by Matthias Maurer January 5, 2022.^[5] ANITA-2 is running nearly continuously on board the ISS since March 2022 and is monitoring the gas environment.

Usage

Using ANITA-1 Freon 218 was able to be detected on board the ISS, which was probably leaking from a Russian cooling loop.^[6]

References

↑ Stuffler, T., et al. ANITA air monitoring on the international space station part 1: The mission. No. 2008-01-2042. SAE Technical Paper, 2008.
↑ Honne, A., et al. "ANITA Air monitoring on the international space station part 2: air analyses." SAE International Journal of Aerospace 1.1 (2009): 178.
↑ Gisi, Michael, et al. "ANITA2 Trace Gas Analyser for the ISS-Flight Model Finalization and ground test results." 49th International Conference on Environmental Systems, 2019.
↑ Stuffler, Timo, et al. "ANITA2 Flight Model Development-A status report of the multicomponent ISS Air Analyser." 47th International Conference on Environmental Systems, 2017.
↑ "Analysing Interferometer for Ambient Air (ANITA-2) Installation in Destiny Lab Express Rack". https://www.esa.int/esatv/Videos/2021/12/Matthias_Maurer_Cosmic_Kiss_Mission_B-Rolls/January_2022_-_Alanlysing_Interferometer_for_Ambient_Air_ANITA-2_Installation_in_Destiny_Lab_Express_Rack.
↑ "Prima Klima oder dicke Luft auf der ISS?". https://www.esa.int/Space_in_Member_States/Germany/Prima_Klima_oder_dicke_Luft_auf_der_ISS.

External links

Overview of the project ANITA-2 at the website of SINTEF

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[1] Stuffler, T., et al. ANITA air monitoring on the international space station part 1: The mission. No. 2008-01-2042. SAE Technical Paper, 2008.

[2] Honne, A., et al. "ANITA Air monitoring on the international space station part 2: air analyses." SAE International Journal of Aerospace 1.1 (2009): 178.

[3] Gisi, Michael, et al. "ANITA2 Trace Gas Analyser for the ISS-Flight Model Finalization and ground test results." 49th International Conference on Environmental Systems, 2019.

[4] Stuffler, Timo, et al. "ANITA2 Flight Model Development-A status report of the multicomponent ISS Air Analyser." 47th International Conference on Environmental Systems, 2017.

[5] "Analysing Interferometer for Ambient Air (ANITA-2) Installation in Destiny Lab Express Rack". https://www.esa.int/esatv/Videos/2021/12/Matthias_Maurer_Cosmic_Kiss_Mission_B-Rolls/January_2022_-_Alanlysing_Interferometer_for_Ambient_Air_ANITA-2_Installation_in_Destiny_Lab_Express_Rack.

[6] "Prima Klima oder dicke Luft auf der ISS?". https://www.esa.int/Space_in_Member_States/Germany/Prima_Klima_oder_dicke_Luft_auf_der_ISS.