Introduction to Tools and Techniques for Surface Sampling on Europa

Abstract

The NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is studying excavation and collection of a sample from an icy surface for a potential landed mission to Europa. Europa presents unique challenges in planetary sampling. Very little is known about the local topography and material composition of the surface. The environmental conditions of being cryogenically cold (80-130K), low gravity (~1/7th Earth), no atmosphere, low lighting conditions, and limited ground in the loop opportunities have forced JPL to look at sampling differently than past missions. Interacting with the surface of the Jovian moon requires a sampling system that is robust to local topography on the scale of the lander and/or the tool. In addition, the sampling system must be capable both of detecting faults and automatically adjusting to them to achieve the mission objectives without ground in the loop feedback. Presented here is an overview of a sampling system concept that involves a two-stage approach for collecting a sample. The first stage uses an excavation tool to prepare the surface site for sample collection by removing the top layer of irradiated material and clearing tailings from the hole. The second stage then generates and collects a sample for delivery to instruments on-board a lander. Also presented is an introduction for how autonomy and sensing technologies might be employed to enable mission success.