Axel rover NanoDrill and PowderDrill: Acquisition of cores, regolith and powder from steep walls

• Main Authors: Zacny, K., Paulsen, G., Chu, P., Hedlund, M., Spring, J., Osborne, L., Matthews, J., Zarzhitsky, D., Nesnas, I. A., Szwarc, T., Indyk, S.
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Subjects: Actuators; Electron tubes; Instruments; Powders; Robots; Rocks; Testing
• ISSN: 1095-323X; 2996-2358
• DOI: 10.1109/AERO.2013.6497188

This paper describes development and testing of low-mass, low-power drills for the Axel rover. Axel is a two-wheeled tethered rover designed for the robotic exploration of steep cliff walls, crater walls and deep holes on earth and other planetary bodies. The Axel rover has a capability to deploy scientific instruments and/or samplers in the areas of interest to scientists currently inaccessible by conventional robotic systems. To enable sample recovery, we developed two drills: NanoDrill for acquisition of 25 mm long and 7 mm diameter cores and PowderDrill for acquisition of either in situ regolith/soil or drilled cuttings from depths of up to 15 mm. Both drills have been successfully tested in laboratory in limestone and sandstone rocks and on-board the Axel rover in the Mars Yard at NASA JPL. The drills managed to acquire limestone and sandstone cores and powder, with an average power of less than 5 Watts. The penetration rate of the NanoDrill was ~2 mm/min and of the PowderDrill it was ~9 mm/min. After sample acquisition, both drills successfully ejected of the acquired samples (cores and powder).