SPD – Soil Penetration Dart
A Soil Penetration Dart is a planetary penetrator device that will significantly reduce the cost of deep lunar sampling
The Moon has piqued the interest of many space industry partners because of its valuable resources. Drilling is used to collect samples in the majority of lunar exploration missions, but taking heavy and powerful drills to the lunar surface is associated with a higher price tag. As a result, reaching deeper depths and collecting soil samples from beneath two to three meters remains an ambitious task in lunar exploration missions.
The motivation of this research is to present an alternative concept for collecting deep soil samples. A Soil Penetration Dart is a simple spear-shaped mechanism that will be deorbited from a lunar orbiter on a descending trajectory that will end in an impact on the lunar surface. When a dart reaches the surface, it gains enormous velocities, gaining enough momentum to pierce through the surface and reach a greater penetration depth.
Although several studies on lunar penetrators have been conducted, their primary focus has been on transporting instruments into deep soil layers. The SPD, on the other hand, is focused on returning a sample from deep soil layers to the surface via a sample collector device that will be brought to the surface using solid propellants.
We decided to begin our study with a focus on the moon due to the abundance of data and the possibility of conducting a test on the moon in the near future. The proposed SPD system will consist of a pool of several SPDs that will be launched as a secondary mission onboard a lunar orbiter or lander mission. This could allow companies to reserve a single dart from a pool of SPDs, dividing the cost of launch and development among multiple entities.
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The project advances in 2024!
One of the most significant recent advancements is the development of autonomous sample collectors within the SPDs. These systems are now engineered to ascend back to lunar orbit after sample collection using a combination of auger-based movement and chemical propulsion. This technology eliminates the need for complex retrieval systems on the lunar surface, making the mission more efficient and reducing overall power consumption.
Once the SPDs reach lunar orbit, the Orbiter is designed to capture the sample collectors and return them to Earth. This step is crucial for enabling more comprehensive and frequent sample return missions, offering a greater variety of lunar geological data to researchers and industrial stakeholders.
The project has made significant strides in addressing the key engineering challenges associated with the mission. These include the mechanical stress and extreme thermal environments generated during impact, as well as the complexities of achieving lunar orbit post-sample collection. Extensive simulations and optimization strategies have been employed to validate the design and improve the reliability of the SPDs under these conditions.
By utilizing a simplified design and mass production techniques, the SPDs can be deployed on a large scale, significantly reducing the cost per mission. The project also considers the long-term sustainability of space exploration, addressing concerns related to space debris and potential environmental impacts on future lunar operations.
In conclusion, the SPD project represents a pivotal advancement in the field of lunar exploration. By reducing costs, increasing efficiency, and enabling deeper exploration of the Moon’s surface, the project is paving the way for more sustainable and frequent lunar missions in the near future.
As the SPD project moves forward, the team is focused on further refining the propulsion system, improving the autonomous navigation capabilities of the sample collectors, and expanding the testing of the SPD system in simulated lunar environments. Continued collaboration with both scientific and commercial partners will be essential to ensure the system is optimized for future lunar missions.
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Mission Concept of Operations
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