A regolith sampling apparatus, comprising: a cylindrical outer housing extending about a longitudinal axis comprising upper, intermediate and lower housings; an inner housing received in said outer lower housing and comprising a circumferential wall defining a void therein, said inner housing being rotatable with the outer housing; a plurality of retractable flaps extending from between the inner housing and lower outer housing; a piston member comprising a piston shaft and a piston head disposed in the inner housing; a flap support member translatable along on a first threaded rod upon rotation thereof, said flap support member being coupled to said retractable flaps to urge said flaps into and out from the space between the inner housing and the lower housing upon translation of said flap support member on said threaded rod; an upper platform rotatably isolated and supported in the upper outer housing at a fixed height therein, said upper platform supporting a flap driving means rotatably coupled to the first threaded rod via a first gear train and a piston member driving means coupled to the outer housing for rotatably driving said outer housing about the upper platform, a lower platform fixedly attached to the circumferential wall of the inner housing and outer housing; said lower platform being rotatably coupled via a ratchet mechanism to a second threaded rod comprising at least a portion of the piston shaft; said second threaded rod supported on the lower platform by a threaded nut such that rotation of said lower platform translates the piston head within the lower housing; at least one position limit detecting sensor disposed in the upper housing positioned proximate to either a predetermined extremity of travel of the at least one or more of the second threaded rod for detection of translation thereof, or the flap support member; and said at least one position detecting sensor operably coupled to either the piston member driving means or flap driving means. a cylindrical outer housing extending about a longitudinal axis comprising upper, intermediate and lower housings; an inner housing received in said outer lower housing and comprising a circumferential wall defining a void therein, said inner housing being rotatable with the outer housing; a plurality of retractable flaps extending from between the inner housing and lower outer housing; a piston member comprising a piston shaft and a piston head disposed in the inner housing; a flap support member translatable along on a first threaded rod upon rotation thereof, said flap support member being coupled to said retractable flaps to urge said flaps into and out from the space between the inner housing and the lower housing upon translation of said flap support member on said threaded rod; an upper platform rotatably isolated and supported in the upper outer housing at a fixed height therein, said upper platform supporting a flap driving means rotatably coupled to the first threaded rod via a first gear train and a piston member driving means coupled to the outer housing for rotatably driving said outer housing about the upper platform, a lower platform fixedly attached to the circumferential wall of the inner housing and outer housing; said lower platform being rotatably coupled via a ratchet mechanism to a second threaded rod comprising at least a portion of the piston shaft; said second threaded rod supported on the lower platform by a threaded nut such that rotation of said lower platform translates the piston head within the lower housing; at least one position limit detecting sensor disposed in the upper housing positioned proximate to either a predetermined extremity of travel of the at least one or more of the second threaded rod for detection of translation thereof, or the flap support member; and said at least one position detecting sensor operably coupled to either the piston member driving means or flap driving means.