A sample sealing technique was developed and tested for a possible Mars Sample Return mission application. The effect on the scientific viability of biological samples from storage of samples in a sample container for a long period of time on the Martian surface was also investigated. Sealing techniques were investigated and a soldering concept was developed and tested to provide a hermetic seal between a sample tube and cap. A sample caching subsystem design concept was updated to allow for sealing of sample tubes. A gas-tight vessel was constructed that could be used to simulate environmental conditions that would be experienced by a sample of regolith on Mars and to test the affects of thermal cycling of the vessel on psychrophilic microorganisms embedded in a regolith simulant to assess the degree of deterioration of the microorganisms.


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    Title :

    Planetary sample sealing for caching


    Contributors:


    Publication date :

    2009-03-01


    Size :

    1312822 byte





    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English



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