SMART: Instrumented Drill for ISRU Investigations on the Moon

Abstract

Honeybee Robotics is developing a next generation drilling system called SMART (Sensing, Measurement, Analysis, and Reconnaissance Tool) for lunar in situ resource utilization (ISRU) applications. SMART is a rotary percussive drill mounted on a linear stage, similar to The Regolith and Ice Drill for Exploration of New Terrains (TRIDENT) that is flying to the Moon in 2022 and 2023. Unlike TRIDENT, which uses the auger to move drill cuttings up to the surface for analysis, the SMART auger and bit assembly is integrated with instruments that can perform analysis in situ. By instrumenting the auger, we are changing the paradigm of exploration—we are bringing an instrument to the sample as opposed to bringing the sample to an instrument. The auger will now be an instrument with sample analysis capabilities. Honeybee Robotics has designed and fabricated a prototype for SMART and is adapting an existing rotary percussive drill called RANCOR to be used to conduct tests in a relevant lunar environment.