A proposed system in a gondola containing scientific instruments suspended by a balloon over the surface of the Saturn moon Titan would quickly acquire samples of rock or ice from the ground below. Prototypes of a sample-collecting device that would be a major part of the system have been tested under cryogenic and non-cryogenic conditions on Earth. Systems like this one could also be used in non-cryogenic environments on Earth to collect samples of rock, soil, ice, mud, or other ground material from such inaccessible or hazardous locations as sites of suspected chemical spills or biological contamination.

Figure 1. A Tethered Sample-Collecting Device would be dropped from a balloon-borne gondola to collect a sample of ground material, then reeled back up to the gondola to enable analysis of the sample.
The sample-collecting device would be a harpoonlike device that would be connected to the balloon-borne gondola by a tether long enough to reach the ground (see Figure 1). The device would be dropped from the gondola to acquire a sample, then would be reeled back up to the gondola, where the sample would be analyzed by the onboard instruments.

Figure 2. These Prototype Sample-Collecting Devices are basically harpoons with smooth, sharp front ends, rear stabilizing fins, and interior cavities for capturing and retaining samples.
Each prototype of the sample-collecting device (see Figure 2) has a sharp front (lower) end, a hollow core for retaining a sample, a spring (not shown in the figure) for holding the sample in the hollow core, and a rear (upper) annular cavity for retaining liquid sample material. Aerodynamic fins at the rear help to keep the front end pointed downward. In tests, these prototype devices were dropped from various heights and used to gather samples of dry sand, moist sand, cryogenic water ice, and warmer water ice.

This work was done by Jack Jones, Wayne Zimmerman, and Jiunn Jenq Wu of Caltech for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. NPO-44444

Topics:
Aerodynamics Aircraft Balloons Body structures Mechanical Components Mechanics Soils Springs Suspension systems Vehicle front ends Vehicles Water
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Collecting Ground Samples for Balloon- Borne Instruments

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NASA Tech Briefs Magazine

This article first appeared in the August, 2009 issue of NASA Tech Briefs Magazine (Vol. 33 No. 8).

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Overview

The document outlines a project led by Jack A. Jones at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, focusing on the development of a self-contained harpoon and sample handling device for remote platforms, particularly for planetary exploration missions to Titan, Mars, Venus, and other celestial bodies. The primary objective is to design a system capable of collecting surface samples, specifically targeting materials like cryogenic ice and regolith.

Key project goals include measuring penetration energies for sampling various materials, designing and testing a gravity-dropped harpoon system, and creating a pyro-activated harpoon for rapid sample acquisition. The harpoon system is intended to simulate the collection of at least 1 gram of surface material from a balloon platform hovering above Titan's surface.

The document details the results from the fiscal year 2006, highlighting successful measurements of penetration energies for sampling ice at different temperatures and the design and testing of both gravity-drop and pyro-activated harpoon systems. The gravity-drop harpoon was tested from a height of 100 meters above Titan's surface, while the pyro-activated system demonstrated the ability to collect over 1 gram of cryogenic ice. Additionally, a tethered harpoon system was developed to allow for rapid collection and retrieval of samples.

The document also discusses the broader implications of the technology for various planetary missions. For Mars, balloon platforms are proposed to sample water ice at the north pole. For Venus, balloons are considered the most viable means to descend to the surface and return with samples. The pyro sampling devices are also applicable for in-situ analyses and sample return from comets and asteroids.

The harpoon design features a sharp point, a hollow core for sample retention, and aerodynamic fins for stability during descent. The system is engineered to operate efficiently in the challenging environments of other planets, addressing the limitations of previous sampling methods such as robotic arms and mechanical drills.

Overall, this document presents a significant advancement in planetary exploration technology, showcasing innovative solutions for sample acquisition that could enhance our understanding of extraterrestrial environments.