of the valve in the closed state a pintle tip seals the valve orifice hermitically possible design parameters for the inventive valve include mass less than about 27 grams power about 125 watts peak leak rate about 1 u00d7 10 u2212 10 atm cc sec he gasflow orifice diameter about 0 070 inches life cycles less than 10 000 cycles operating temperature about u2212 50 degrees centigrade to about 200 degrees centigrade survival temperature about u2212 70 degrees centigrade to about 250 degrees centigrade operation time open to closed less than 5 msec includes an open position indicator hermetically isolate and minimize gas sample volume and all materials in gas flow must be inert these parameters are design guidelines only and do not limit the scope of the invention varying embodiments of the invention may or may not meet one or more of the listed parameters the valve includes a small double latching solenoid valve that uses a permanent magnet to latch the armature in either the open or closed position no intermediate position is possible in the closed position the armature compresses a spring such as a stack of disc spring washers the stack of washers press a pintle onto a tip that is pressed into the valve seat the valve seat is the orifice to be opened or closed to account for machining tolerances and misalignment the tip is u201c floating u201d u201c floating u201d means that the tip is loosely held in position by a mechanical capture but.