Sample Acquisition and Management Systems for Missions to …robotics.estec.esa.int/ASTRA/Astra2004/Papers/astra2004... · 2006. 5. 30. · 1 Sample Acquisition and Management Systems

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Sample Acquisition and ManagementSystems for Missions to Mars

Prepared by Piergiovanni Magnani(1), E. Re (1), R. Gelmi (1), A. Olivieri (2)(1)Galileo Avionica

via Montefeltro 8, 20156 Milano (Italy)Email: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

(2)ASILocalità Terlecchia

75100 Matera (Italy)Email: [email protected]

ASTRA 2004 - ESTEC 02-11-2004

Sample Acquisition and Management Systems for Missions to Mars - ASTRA 2004, estec 02-11-2004 2

A Finmeccanica Company

Table of contents

• General issues on sampling requirements

• Sampling requirements for missions to Mars

• Type of Drill Systems (single rod, multi rod, CTD)

• Concept of drill tool with shutters• Concept of corer tool

• Concept of Rothal tool

• Tool performances

• Sample processing and distribution

• Devices for sample preparation• Schematics for sample processing system

• Example of sample distribution system: SD2 for Rosetta mission

In Proceedings of the 8th ESA Workshop on Advanced Space Technologies for Robotics and Automation 'ASTRA 2004' ESTEC, Noordwijk, The Netherlands, November 2 - 4, 2004

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General issues on sampling requirements

The collection and subsequent analysis of soil sample materialsis of great importance in the exploration of planets and comets.

Surface samples: their constituents can potentially represent the differentparts of a planet surface and of the surface environment. They can provideinsight into surface processes.

Subsurface samples: they provide insight into the geological history of thelanding site region, including stratigraphic information. These samples areshielded from the upper surface environmental conditions and thereforecontain pristine information.

Atmospheric samples: they can provide understanding of early hystory ofwater on the planet and on early evolution of life.



Examples of sampling requirements for missions to Mars

MARS SAMPLE RETURN (ESA):• surface, subsurface and atmosphere samples

• deepest subsurface sample collected at 1.5 metres

• sample mass: 0.5 kg (250 cm3, assuming a soil density of 2 g/ cm3)

EXOMARS MISSION, PASTUER PACKAGE (ESA):• subsurface samples at a depth of 2 meters• samples from surface rocks (beyond weathering ring, c.a. 10 mm)

• sample size 4 cm in length, 1 cm in diameter

MARS SCIENCE LABORATORY (NASA):• surface samples down to 120 mm depth

• sample size 10-12 cm in length, 0.8 to 1.2 cm in diameter

• 3.5 cm in diameter abraded spots on rocks

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Types of Drill Systems

Different types of Drill Systems can be adopteddepending on mission and resource requirements:

�Single Rod Drill: for depth of penetration of about 1 meter

�Multi Rod Drill: for depth of penetration of 2-5 meters

�Coiled Tube Drill: for depth of penetration > 5 meters



Single rod drill system

• The single rod drill makes useof a single drill tool whoselength is sufficient for thedrilling depth

• This drill is relatively long andrequires an appropriate volumeon the lander or rover for itsaccommodation

• It basically has only twomechanisms: drill rotation anddrill translation

• It is a simple equipment, veryreliable

• It can not be used inapplication where the volumeavailable for stowage is limited

Single rod drill system from ASI DeeDri program

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Multi rod drill systemROTODRILLACTUATOR

CLAMP

DRILL ROD #1(mounted at integration)

GUIDE AND RACK

ARM E/E INTERFACE

DRILLINGRODS

CAROUSELACTUATOR

CLAMP

SAMPLING TOOL/TUBE

CLAMP AND GUIDE

CHAMBER

PRE BRUSHES

RUPTURE SET

FINE BRUSHES

STRUCTURE

GUIDES AND RACKS

CAROUSEL WITHn. 5 DRILLRODS

CLAMP

ROTODRILLACTUATOR

CLAMP

DRILLINGRODS

CAROUSELACTUATOR

• The multi rod drill makes use of adrill tool and a number ofextension rods which are“summed” to obtain the requireddrilling depth

• The number of rods and theirlength depend on the availablevolume for accommodation andpenetration depth

• The extension rods areaccommodated on a dedicatedcarousel and must be assembledduring drilling and disassembledto recover the drill tool anddischarge the collected samples

Multi rod drill system from ASI DeeDri program



Example of multi rod drill system for 5 m depth

This concept uses 10 pipes to reach5 meters penetration depth.

The mandrel is placed external tothe rods’ carousel and the collectionand deposition of each of the rodsrequires a translationaldisplacement of the whole carousel.

The drill mass is about 11kg and itsdimensions c.a. 265x215x860.

Drill rotation motor power: 60W.

The drill tool is a corer 17 mmdiameter working at 100-200 rpm.

Drilling speed in travertine-likematerial 1 mm/minute.

Multi rod drill system from ASI DeeDri program: internal views

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Coiled Tube Drill system

CTD has an excavating head mounted at the end tip of a flexible rigid or semi-rigid guiding tube.

• the tube can transmit a pushing force from the surface unit to the drilling head;• possibility to implement the chip transportation to the surface by means of fluids;

• deployable probes can be used to collect samples or to conduct down-hole scientific experiments.

Example of CTD developed by Los Alamos Laboratory

UNCONSOLIDATED SOIL

COMPRESSOR

Conductor

Riser

Coiled tubing

Bit

Down hole motor

Logging sensors

C

CO2 and drillcuttings

Tube straightner

Coiled tubingreel

Example of CTD for Mars exploration (ASI DeeDri program)



Prototype developed and tested (ASI DeeDri program)• External diameter 35 mm• Core diameter 14 mm

Drilling to reachSampling Depth

Central Pistonin upper position

Core Forming

Core Cutting(closing Shutters)

Drill uplift

Sample Discharge

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Samples collected by drill tool with shutters:gas concrete, dry sand, travertine, tuff

Sampling procedure

Concept of drill tool with shutters

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Sampling procedure

Drilling to reachSampling Depth

Central Piston inupper position

Core Forming

Continuation ofCore Forming upto thrust > TBD N

(core rootdetachment)

Drill uplift

SampleDischarge

1 2 3 4 5

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Samples collected by drill tool withshutters in travertine, marble

Concept of corer tool

Prototype developed and tested (ASI DeeDri program)• External diameter 17 mm• Core diameter 10 mm



Rothal concept (developed in ASI DeeDri programme) is based on a fronttransversal cutting disc

The main advantage of this approach is the suppression of the zero-speed zoneThe cutting action results from the combination of two rotary motions:

- a fast one for the rotary disc- a lower one of the main tool body for hole formation and chip uplifting.

Concept of Rothal tool

Rothal outer views Rothal: inprint on granite

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Some tool performances

During tool prototype developments (in the frame of asiDeeDri program) extensive testing activities have beencarried out in different types of materials.

Material Compressivestrength σR

(MPa)

Densityg/cm^3

GasConcrete

1-3 0.46

Travertine 20-60 2.44Tuff 1-2 matrix +

hard inclusions1.01

Marble 70-150 2.67Granite 100-200 2.73

Some of the results showing performances in terms ofvertical thrust vs. penetration speed are reported in the nextcharts.




Test results in gas concrete

Tests in Gasconcrete

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45

Penetration speed (mm/min)

Thru

st (N

) SD2@125rpm

D17@125rpm

DeeDri@125rpm

Rothal@1000rpmD&50rpmd

Thrust (N) Vs. penetration speed (mm/min)

Test results in tuff

Test in Tuff

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

0 2 4 6 8 10 12

Advancing speed (mm/min)

Thru

st (

N) SD2@125rpm

D17@125rpmDeeDri@125rpm



(from DeeDri program)

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Test results in travertine


Test in Travertine

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

0 0,5 1 1,5 2 2,5 3 3,5 4


Th

rust

(N

) SD2@160rpmD17@100rpm

DeeDri@100rpm


Test in marble (for SD2 and D17) and in granite (for rothalsdisk)

0

50

100

150

200

250

0 0,2 0,4 0,6 0,8 1 1,2


Th

rust

(N

)

SD"@152rpm

D17@180rpm

RothalsdiskD@2000rpmd@75rpm


Test results in marble (granite for Rothal)

(from DeeDri program)



Sample preparation and distribution

The collected samples are subject to an on-board processing which isheavily dependant on the type of the serviced instrumentation:� sample storage in dedicated vessels and container for earth re-entry� sample preparation for analysis by the on-board scientific

instrumentation

being the latter the most demanding in terms of handling problematics.

Some of the on board instrumentation may require samples “as collected”(e.g. core solid type, if available, or fragmented) for part of their analysisprocess.

In most of the cases the samples need be powdered to a suitable degree offinesse.The processing facilities includes specific devices like polishing station,grinding station, containment vessels, distribution lines (e.g. carousel).

The degree of complexity of the processing facility is strongly related to theconfiguration and number of the on-board apparatus to be served.

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Devices for sample preparation

Sample Path

Polishing Spindles

A

view A

Polishing Disks(different properties)

Push Actuator

Milling Actuator Discharge Port

Vibration Actuator 1

Ovens

Vibration Actuator 2

Waste

Dosator Actuator

(or Large Container)

Moving Grinder

Fixed Grinder

Brush

A

section A

Carousel

Schematics of Polishing station Schematics of Grinding station



Schematics of sample processing system

Schematic of an integrated sample processing system(shown at its top level capability)

Sample Dischargeto Assembly 3 container

Grinding

PolishingOptical/RAMAN

Instrument Operations

AFM

IRMA

Sample Transfer

to Milling Station

Milling

Sample Transfer

to Assembly 2

and Assembly 1 (by dosator)

APXSMossbauer

APXS & Mossbauer Operations

( Chemical Analysis Instruments)

Tapping Station

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Example of sample distribution system: SD2 for Rosetta mission

Sample distribution by means of carousel and “ovens”• 10 Medium Temperature Ovens for presentation of samples to the

microscopes and to interface the tapping stations of the GC/MS• 16 High Temperature Ovens to interface the tapping station of the GC/MS

Tapping stationCarousel Ovens Tapping station

MicroscopeCiva-M (visible)

MicroscopeCiva-M (I/R)

OPTICAL PRISM

MLI

Çiva-MWindow

Medium Temperature Oven

High Temperature Oven



Detail of Carousel

Example of sample distribution system: SD2 for Rosetta mission

SD2 ovens and discharged sample

(ASI program)

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Documents

Sample Acquisition and Management Systems for Missions to …robotics.estec.esa.int/ASTRA/Astra2004/Papers/astra2004... · 2006. 5. 30. · 1 Sample Acquisition and Management Systems