# Presentation: 194288

## Mars Underground Mole: In Situ Infrared Reflectance and Raman Spectroscopy from a Mobile Subsurface Penetrometer 

**Carol Stoker, PI**

## Mars Underground Mole: In Situ Infrared Reflectance and Raman Spectroscopy from a Mobile Subsurface Penetrometer

**Co-Investigators:**
- _Mole Technology_
- L. Richter (DLR, Germany)
- L.G. Lemke (NASA Ames Research Center)
- H. Vu (NASA Ames Research Center)
- B. Glass (NASA Ames Research Center)
- _Combined Raman and SWIR spectrometer_
- W.H. Smith (Medeco, Inc. & Washington U.)
- P. Hammer (NASA Ames Research Center)
- A. Zent (NASA Ames Research Center)
- B. Dalton (NASA Ames Research Center)

- Mars Underground Mole: In Situ Infrared Reflectance and Raman Spectroscopy from a Mobile Subsurface Penetrometer

**    ****Objectives:**
- • Develop self contained Mole system for accessing the subsurface
- • Develop and integrate onboard optical instrument (Dual Spectral Sensor) used for determining mineralogy, stratigraphy, and detecting organics, water, ice, and hydrated minerals
- • Field test package in Mars analog environments.
-  • Bring MUM system to TRL6 by 2006

## WBS Elements

- DSS Instrument

- Deploy/Retrieve
- Module

- Mole
- Controller

- Mole

- Mechanical Assembly
- DSS Optics
- Sensors
- Electronics module

- Software

- Tether

- DSS control computers
- Software- instrument controller
-                 data processing

## MUM MECHANICAL SYSTEMS

- Major Sub-systems and Components:
-  Hammering Mechanism: delivers mechanical energy (impact) for forward and reverse propulsion.
-  Soil Sampling Mechanism:  collects and stores one sample of the local soil per deployment.
-  Payload Bays: packages of onboard science and engineering instruments.
- Payload Bay No. 1: sapphire window and optical package for the DSS.
- Payload Bay No.2: electronics and sensors.
-  Mole skins:  inner and outer shells, bulkheads, connectors, and pathways for instrumentation wiring.

- External View

- Internal View

**MUM MECHANICAL SYSTEMS**

## Technical Accomplishments

**Prototype No.1 for Hammering Mechanism (HM) designed, built, and tested (Summer and Fall 03).**
**Soil Sampling Mechanism designed, built (Spring 04), and being tested (Summer 04).**
**HM Prototype No.2  designed, built (Winter 03, Spring 04), and being tested (Summer 04).**
**Structural components for Payload Bays for DSS and Electronics designed and being built (Summer 04).**
**Outer and inner shells in design, first prototypes fabricated.**

## Level 2 Milestone

**Hammering Mechanism Tested**
- A prototype of the Hammering Mechanism (HM) and test rig were built late Summer *2003.  *The first HM prototype was tested in the Fall of 2003.
- Limited number of forward and reverse operation cycles ( several hundred of forward hammering & less than one hundred of reverse hammering)  proved that HM is capable of penetration and self-extraction.
- Testing and troubleshooting identified a few problem areas.  Adjustments were made and individual components were improved.
- Successfully proved that the design concept is functional. Durability & complete duty cycle testing is now underway.

## Technical Accomplishments

**Soil Sampling Mechanism Built (Spring 04).**
- Complete Soil Sampling Mechanism (SM) designed and built (Spring 04).
- SM assembled and functionally tested (Summer 04).
- To be integrated and tested with improved version of the HM (Summer 04).

## Sample Mechanism Detail

## Technical Accomplishments

**Payload Bay Structures and Shell Components designed and are in fabrication.**
- DSS payload structural components designed, to be delivered for DSS testing 7/19/04.
- Sensor suite bulkheads and shell designed.
- Outside and inside shells designed.  An aluminum version is being manufactured for “light duty” integrated system test and validation.

## Plans for Next Quarter

**Assemble 2****nd**** prototype of HM, with SM, and mock-ups of DSS and Sensor Suite.**
**Design, build, and conduct integrated systems test.  Objectives and Goals:**
- Proof of full range of operation of (improved) HM, and of SM.
- Proof of durability and strength of the mole over a selected life cycle.
- Provide data of hammering performance.
- Characterize shock & vibration, as well as addressing concerns regarding assembly and disassembly.
**Provide a test bed for other Mole subsystems (electronics, motor control, data acquisition hardware and software, on-board scientific and engineering instrumentation).**

## Mole Electronics Development

- Purpose:
- To design, build, test, and integrate the electronics necessary to control mole motors and to collect sensor data.
- Features:
- Two microcontroller based boards.
- Surface controller to control tether reel motor and to collect surface sensor data.
- Subsurface controller to control mole motor and to collect subsurface sensor data.
- Surface controller has similar architecture as subsurface controller to reduce development time and for design reusability.
- Communicates with LABVIEW driven “Mole System Controller” via RS-485 serial protocol.
- Distributes power to motors and sensors.

## Technical Accomplishments and Plans

_**Technical Accomplishments**_** **
**Parts procurement for subsurface electronics development including procurement of sensors.**
**Designed subsurface controller schematic.**
**Developed firmware to verify functionality of circuits and sensors with microcontroller.**
**Surface and Subsurface Controllers Preliminary Design Review completed in May 2004.**
**Subsurface Controller Critical Design Review completed in July 2004.**
_**Plans for Next Quarter**_
**Complete subsurface controller layout and fabricate board.**
**Complete subsurface controller firmware.**
**Populate subsurface controller and test populated subsurface controller on bench.**
**Complete surface controller schematic.**
**Surface controller critical design review.**
**Complete surface controller layout and fabricate board.**
**Complete surface controller firmware.**
**Populate surface controller and test populated subsurface controller on bench.**

## DEPLOY/RETRIEVE MODULE

- Technical Accomplishments
- • Designed functional prototype system  of tether reel and launch tube
- • Fabricated and/or purchased parts for tether reel subassembly
- •  Designed and procured tether
- • Determined requirements for conductors and fibers
- • Identified candidate fiber composition and possible vendors
- • Obtained samples and tested spectral properties of candidate fibers, selected GeO2 for SWIR, Low OH silica for laser
- • Let tether procurement (expect delivery Sept. 2004)
- PLANS FOR NEXT QUARTER
- • Design rotating interface for fiber and conductors
- • Assembly and test of  reel system

## DSS Instrument

**DSS Instrument**

- _Technical Accomplishments_
- • Completed CDR (Sept. 03) for end-to-end design
- • Purchased all components
- • Designed jig for mounting light collection optics in Mole, fabrication
- underway
- • Assembled surface detector system
- • Writing software drivers for data acquisition
- • Begin development of flat field and data calibration software

- _Plans for Next Quarter_
- • Finish subsurface optics construction and integrate with shock mounted  end plates
- • Bench test with external fiber optics
- • Design interface between tether at surface and detectors via rotating tether reel
- • Prepare user manual for operation of instrument
- • Deliver instrument package to Ames

**FINANCIAL STATUS**

- No significant deviation from financial plan or financial issues to report

## Action Items/Issues/Concerns

** ****No Year End Review action item(s) (if any) from last quarterly review.**
**Major issues/concerns: none**