Deep drilling and sampling via the wireline auto-gopher driven by piezoelectric percussive actuator and EM rotary motor

Abstract

The ability to penetrate subsurfaces and perform sample acquisition at depths of meters is critical for future NASA in-situ exploration missions to bodies in the solar system, including Mars, Europa, and Enceladus. A corer/sampler was developed with the goal of acquiring pristine samples by reaching depths on Mars beyond the oxidized and sterilized zone. The developed rotary-hammering coring drill, called Auto-Gopher, employs a piezoelectric actuated percussive mechanism for breaking formations and an electric motor rotates the bit to remove the powdered cuttings. This sampler is a wireline drill that is incorporated with an inchworm mechanism allowing thru cyclic coring and core removal to reach great depths. The penetration rate is optimized by simultaneously activating the percussive and rotary motions of the Auto-Gopher. The percussive mechanism is based on the Ultrasonic/Sonic Drill/Corer (USDC) mechanism, which is driven by a piezoelectric stack, demonstrated to require low axial preload. The AutoGopher has been produced taking into account the lessons learned from the development of the Ultrasonic/Sonic Gopher that was designed as a percussive ice drill and was demonstrated in Antarctica in 2005 to reach about 2 meters deep. A field demonstration of the Auto-Gopher is currently being planned with the objective of reaching as deep as 3 to 5 meters in tufa formation.

Theoretical substantiation of low-frequency shock-contact impact as a way to increase the efficiency of ultrasonic drilling of extraterrestrial soil

“…Over the past 20-30 years, along with the mechanical method of drilling, the ultrasonic method of drilling the soil of extraterrestrial objects has been successfully developed (the first developments in the physical principles and devices for ultrasonic dimensional processing of solid materials present on Earth date back to the 50s of the last century) [2][3][4][5]. The essence of the ultrasonic drilling method is the impact of high-frequency mechanical vibrations (frequency 20...44 kHz) or combined impact (high-frequency vibrations + pseudo-rotation + (optionally) low-frequency impact) on the soil.…”

A Piezoelectric‐Driven Rock‐Drilling Device for Extraterrestrial Subsurface Exploration

“…This new technology shows great potential in the field of in situ sampling and analysis for planet exploration tasks. Based on ultrasonic drilling technology, JPL has successively developed ultrasonic polishing tool [19], Auto-gopher [20], rotary-assisted ultrasonic drill [21], etc. Since the birth of this technology, many international research institutes pay attention to the ultrasonic drilling or coring devices.…”

Wireline deep drill for exploration of Mars, Europa, and Enceladus

“…To enable deep access, Honeybee Robotics and NASA-Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) developed a wireline drill, called the Auto-Gopher [1,2]. The drill uses low power and low Weight on Bit (WOB) to acquire cores of rocks, ice or ice cemented grounds.…”