The system detects hydrogen and then relays the information at the speed of light for quick analysis by computer. The system is capable of measuring hundreds of locations at once. Current devices, called mass spectrometers, are capable of measuring only a handful of locations. The system uses an optical sensor called an optrode coated with a proprietary chemical substance.
Light is sent down the fiber-optic cable and through the optrode.
If the light returns as a different color, that color, along with the intensity of the signal, correlates to amounts of hydrogen present. If safe levels are exceeded, a rocket launch can be stopped immediately with the leak quickly pinpointed. Conversely, false alarms can be prevented in the last seconds of countdown because the system responds with great precision in only one second versus two to six minutes for a mass spectrometer. This new system can be used on all Delta rockets, commercial and military launch vehicles, Sea Launch, Space Shuttle and any emerging reusable launch vehicles. The Boeing Co., with headquarters in Seattle, is the largest aerospace company in the world and the United States' leading exporter.