Too heavy and too insensitive to use for a space mission, I'm sure, but it is amazing what is out there these days.
I observed some Marine Corps exercises last month, and during a chemical incident response demonstration they showed us this: a man-portable, automated mass-spectrometer/gas chromatograph that can rapidly identify tens of thosusands of compounds in field conditions.
They also have this bomb disposal robot, which includes a .50-caliber "mitigation device". Trust me, you don't want to be mitigated. On the other hand, it would sure break up a lot more rocks than the RAT...
Space/Science » in reply to Beagle II had a miniature Mass Spectrometer
Forgot, just saw a portable MS/GC last month...
