John James, Chief Toxicologist, NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX

摘要

Through a new, two-year joint-research partnership with Spacehab, Inc. (Webster, TX), NASA will begin testing miniature mass spectrometers, devices that can detect and measure pollutants, for advances in air quality management. Researchers aim to reduce the equipment's size to that of a deck of playing cards while increasing accuracy and response time. Smaller monitoring devices may be useful for security measures to detect chemicals or locate explosives, and advances in air quality monitors also may better detect unsafe levels of carbon monoxide or formaldehyde. John James is involved with the development of a variety of different systems that may one day help clear the air in spacecrafts and homes by monitoring air contaminants.