Mars Exploration Rovers' Rock Abrasion Tool

Computer Science – Robotics

Scientific paper

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Scientific paper

Each of the twin 2003 Mars Exploration Rovers will be equipped with a Rock Abrasion Tool (RAT) designed and tested by Honeybee Robotics. The RAT is a robotic grinding tool and science instrument about the size of a soda can and weighing less than 690 grams that is carried by the robotic arm or Instrument Deployment Device (IDD) of the rover. The primary purpose of the RAT is to remove the dust and surface rind from Mars rock targets to reveal the underlying petrographic features. After the RAT is placed and preloaded against the target rock by the IDD, all operations of the RAT are performed autonomously. Using three small motors to drive the rotation, revolve and z-axis subassemblies the RAT removes a 45 mm diameter, 5 mm deep patch of rock. The RAT has a resin-bonded diamond abrasion wheel and two brushes to provide a clean observation surface for the three surface instruments - APXS, Microscopic Imager and Moessbauer Spectrometer. Detailed design and operation descriptions, as well as recent qualification and operational testing results will be presented.

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