The results of a recent experimental program which saw the demonstration of the feasibility of using a Bendix Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer for the direct sampling of high energy density plasma are discussed. Data which confirms the capability of this instrumentation to provide qualitative information about the plasma phenomenology is presented. Plans for experimentally evaluating the quantitative capabilities of the equipment are summarized. The mass spectra obtained using an argon plasma operating in a room-air atmosphere showed the presence of : 40A, 28N2, 32O2, and 18H2O; and 40A+, 28N2+, 18H2O+, 16O+, 14N+, 44CO2+, 63Cu+, 65Cu+, 32O2+, and 17OH+ for the respective neutral and ionized species of the plasma. The mass spectra indicated that the relative ion concentration is about 2.5 x 10-6 and that the ion density is about 5.2 x 1012 ions cm-3. The variation of 40A+, 28N2+, and 32O2+ ions as a function of longitudianl position in the plasma stream is presented and the variation of 40A+ and 28N2+ ions with respect to plasma generator power is shown.