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A Paramagnetic Oxygen Partial Pressure Sensor (ParaO) has been awarded to be part of the Environment Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) of the European Space Station Columbus. Therefore a development programme has been released, facing the delivery of fully space-qualified flying hardware. The sensor utilizes the paramagnetic effect of oxygen. Cross sensitivities to other gases are negligible. The sensor is able to withstand space vacuum. A Development Model with the main outlines equivalent to the flying hardware has been successfully put into operation.

Oxygen is one of the few gases of technical importance which are paramagnetic. Furthermore the paramagnetic effect of oxygen - i. e. its permeability - is much higher than the magnetic constant of other gases of importance. Thus the paramagnetism of oxygen may be used to determine the partial pressure of oxygen specifically.