Subsurface Access & Sampling
Corer-Abrader Tool
Product Features
To address the aggressive goals of the 2009 Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission, Honeybee is developing an integrated coring and abrasion tool (C/AT), which is a hybrid of Honeybee’s existing Rock Abrasion Tool (RAT) and Mini-Corer (MC) designs.
The CAT can acquire, break, retain, and transfer consolidated and unconsolidated cores; abrade, polish, and brush rocks and crusty soils; and change-out different end-effectors and bits. The CAT uses its bit change-out system to change between coring and abrading modes, as well as to replace worn bits to maintain high coring and abrasion penetration rates. The CAT is an arm-mounted, stand-alone device, requiring no additional arm actuation once positioned and preloaded. A compact internal low-mass transmission provides all the motor power used by the tool mechanisms. A butterfly surface contact and tool stabilization assembly is attached to the bottom of the tool housing. This mechanism allows the arm to brace the CAT for stiffness and stability, and transfers torque and side loads, which are generated while coring and/or abrading, to the rock rather than the arm.
The CAT weighs less than 4 kg (8.8 lbs), and measures less than 100mm (3.9 in.) x 150mm (5.9 in.) x 420mm (16.5 in.).