A robotic rover-based deep driller for Mars exploration

VTT Automation has developed an advanced rover-based mobile drilling device for planetary exploration. The mobile Robotic Sampling System has been designed to perform deep (up to 2 meters) soil sampling on the surface of Mars or other planetary objects. Due to the complexity of the task, very strict limitations as to limited mass and volume, and the need for complete automation of all its operations, the system demands a very ambitious mechatronic design. In this paper the design of the system is described as well as the first functional prototype to be manufactured and now under testing. This work is being performed under European Space Agency funding by Space Systems Finland Ltd. (SSF, Finland) as the prime contractor, together with the Technical Research Center of Finland (VTT, Finland) (the drill system) and Helsinki University of Technology (HUT, Finland) (the roving system and drill electronics)