Patent ID: 6488105
Filing Date: 2002-12-03
Classification: E21B

Abstract:
A vehicle for exploring beneath the surface of a planetary terrain made of composition material, comprising:a body having a front end and a rear end; a nose piece fixed to the front end for imparting force to the terrain so that the vehicle penetrates the composition material in front of the nose piece and leaves the composition material deposited behind the rear end; and a tether system for providing power and communication to the vehicle and returning subsurface samples, the tether system comprising: two or more electrical conductors leading from a point of origin to the vehicle; one or more capillary tubes for moving fluids from the point of origin to the vehicle; and a spool for spooling the electrical conductors and the capillary tubes from within the vehicle and packing the electrical conductors and the capillary into the composition material deposited behind the rear end.