Team Members

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Laboratory Drilling Under
Martian Conditions ARC, 24 March
2005 Kris Zacny kzacny_at_berkeley.edu
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• Sample return from the Moon by US
• Apollo 11, 12 and 14
• - core tube, approx. 1m
• Apollo 15, 16 and 17
• - drive tube, approx 1m
• - drill approx. 3m

• Sample return from the Moon by USSR
• Total 10 sample return missions
• Luna 16 and 20 (0.3m), Luna 24 (2m)

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Matrioshka approach
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ENVIRONMENTAL / PHYSICAL -

• Low Gravity
• Low Pressure
• Low Temperature
• Large T. fluctuations
• Dust storms

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Drill bit selection
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Cuttings Removal
Mechanical
Liquid
Gas
Auger
Bailer
Water,
Continuous
Blasts
?
Mud
?
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Experimental approach Drill Bit for Mars
applications requires testing under Mars-like
conditions
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• Martian Conditions
• 6 torr
• CO2 atmosphere
• -80C

• Controls
• Weight on Bit
• Rotational Speed

• Record
• Power
• Rate of Penetration
• Temperatures sample bit

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• Rocks acquired
• Basalt, Sierra Granite, Various Sandstones
• Other
• Ice, Clay, Sands / Silts / Gravel

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WATER SATURATED FROZEN SANDSTONE
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• Drilling power heat latent heat sublimation
  
• Volumetric expansion of water 150,000 times

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Martian vs. terrestrial
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Strategy for Mars

• Select a drilling location on Mars. Consider
• water,
• pressure (6.1mbar)
• Design the drill system for this specific
  location.
• We have 3 cases

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• Measurement while drilling
• Temperature of the bit
• Might indicate temp of the formation
• Temperature of the formation
• Might indicate freezing temp
• Problem in salty environments (freezing point
  depression)
• Electrical Resistance of the formation
• Change in resistance attributed to the physical
  change of formation

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Resistance f(amount of unfrozen water) Look for
the sudden change!
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T -5C to -4 C, ?T1 C R1000 kO to 300 kO
?R700 kO
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Will gas blasting on Mars work?
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• Size of rock dust
• Amount of rock dust
• Gas Type CO2, Air
• Ambient Pressure
• Geometry of the drill

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Cross contamination
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Cross-contamination e-coli

• E-coli bacteria (active method)
• Varied concentration
• Varied water saturation and temperature
• Under Martian and Earth atmospheric pressures

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Cross-contamination e-coli
Good transfer from drill to core surface Transfer
from surface to inside liquid water dependent
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Final Remarks

• No much help from petroleum industry.
• Human record is 3.5m (human) and 2m (robotic)
• Automation vs geological uncertainty
• Design a drill for a specific location on Mars
  (H2O P)
• Need to test under Mars conditions anyway.
• Gas flushing effective for cuttings removal
• Cross-contamination avoid melting pore water

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Thank you !Kris Zacnykzacny_at_berkeley.edu510
.207.4555 (cellular)510.643.9829 (work)