Subsurface Access & Sampling
SATM — Sample Acquisition & Transfer Mechanism
Product Features
The Sample Acquisition and Transfer Mechanism (SATM, 1-Meter Drill) is a drilling and sampling system that features sample handling abilities, sample return containers, and compatibility with in-situ science instruments. The 1-Meter Drill prototype was developed and successfully tested at Honeybee Robotics to demonstrate the performance requirements necessary to meet the late NASA ST/4 Champollion mission goals, many of which could be applicable to a Mars sampling mission.
The Sample Acquisition and Transfer Mechanism was designed to acquire surface samples at 20 centimeters and at 1 meter (or more) below the surface without cross contamination. The system can accommodate different sample volumes as required by various analytic instruments. The drill is also designed with a sample chamber that can be infinitely adjusted from 0.1 cc to 1.0 cc.
A newer version of this drill is being developed with the JPL Exploration Technology program, where the sample volume will be increased to a maximum of 50.0 cc. This new drill will also be capable of taking a core sample and transferring it to a spectrometer, chemical analysis ovens, and a sample return container. For the microscope, the drill is equipped with a sapphire window through which the samples in the chamber can be presented for analysis.