Abstract_EANA2026-242

Abstract EANA2026-242

Spacechip: Lab-on-a-Chip instrument for future planetary missions

Audrey Aebi* (1), Marin Hubert* (1), Caterina Biffi (2), Christian Beyer (2), Marko Dorrestijn (2), Mario Raspanti (2), Florian Kehl (1) * These authors contributed equally to this work.

(1) ETH Zurich | Space, Switzerland, (2) CSEM, Switzerland

Future in situ exploration of icy moons requires analytical instruments capable of detecting potential biosignatures under extreme environmental conditions. Lab-on-a-Chip (LoC) technology enables miniaturized wet-chemical analyses for the sensitive and selective detection of organic and inorganic compounds by integrating sample preparation, fluid handling, and chemical analysis within a compact microfluidic platform. This ESA-funded study investigates the suitability of LoC technologies for future icy moon missions, using Enceladus as the reference mission scenario. The assessment links the scientific objectives of a future Enceladus lander mission with the environmental and engineering constraints that govern LoC design and operation. It presents a concise overview of the Enceladus environment and its implications for LoC operation, identifies potential target biosignatures and their required limits of detection, and evaluates the current state of the art in candidate LoC technologies. A trade-off analysis is used to compare these technologies and develop preliminary architecture concepts ranging from baseline to nominal and comprehensive instrument designs. The architectures evaluated incorporate CE-LIF, CE-C4D, aMZI, and DHM, along with complementary techniques for solid- and gas-phase analysis, to define an integrated instrument suite maximizing the scientific return of a future Enceladus lander.

Acknowledgements: This work is funded by ESA contract 4000149724/25/NL/KML/ahh.