ANALYZING INTERFEROMETER FOR AMBIENT AIR (ANITA)
Research Area: Air, Water and Surface Monitoring
Expedition(s): 15- 17
Principal Investigator(s): ● Gijsbert Tan, European Space Research and
Technology Research Centre, Noordwijk, Netherlands
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
ANITA monitors 32 potential gaseous
contaminants, including formaldehyde,
ammonia and carbon monoxide, in the
atmosphere aboard the International
Space Station (ISS). The experiment tests
the accuracy and reliability of this
technology as a potential next-
generation atmosphere trace-gas
monitoring system for the station.
EARTH BENEFITS
ANITA provides an improved multi-
component gas measurement system for
various purposes, such as workplace
monitoring (including airplanes and submarines), environmental monitoring, and control of
industrial processes.
SPACE BENEFITS
ANITA will lead to new atmospheric monitoring systems for future spaceflight.
RESULTS
ANITA was a flight experiment precursor for a permanent continuous air quality monitoring
system on the ISS, developed to help ensure crew health and safety. Because ANITA was an
experimental system, ANITA’s air analyses were compared to results from other sources of
analyses, including archival samples captured in grab sample containers and analyzed on
ground, and real-time instruments aboard ISS, such as the Volatile Organic Analyzer and the
Carbon Dioxide Monitor. For the first time, many gases in the ISS air were measured with high-
time resolution. The observed results showed effects from spacecraft visits to the ISS, crew
activities, the number of crew members present, and the functioning of the air revitalization
systems. Of the 13 gas compounds quantified by ANITA and the 12 gases detected and
quantified by the archival samplers, only 4 were in common. ANITA measurements of carbon
ISS015E29193 - Expedition 15 Flight Engineer Clayton
Anderson beside the ANITA equipment in the US
Laboratory/Destiny.