An end-to-end sample acquisition and caching system has been built and tested with capabilities applicable to sample acquisition and caching for a potential 2018 mission to Mars to collect samples for eventual return to Earth. The system provides full capability to robotically perform the end-to-end sample acquisition and caching process including placing a sample tube in a coring bit, attaching the bit to the sampling tool, coring a rock and acquiring the core sample in the tube, transferring the bit to the caching mechanism, removing the sample tube from the bit, sealing the filled sample tube with a plug, and storing the tube in the sample cache canister. This paper describes the hardware and robotic steps for the sample acquisition and caching process.
Demonstration of autonomous coring and caching for a Mars sample return campaign concept
2012-03-01
1538969 byte
Conference paper
Electronic Resource
English
Mars Sample Return campaign status
IEEE | 2012
|Mars Sample Return as a campaign
IEEE | 2011
|Sample sealing approaches for Mars Sample Return caching
IEEE | 2012
|Reference Landing Sites, Mars Sample Return Campaign
NTRS | 2011
|