Space Zoo Patrol – Lunar Mining

By   Vincent Vendiola, Honeybee Robotics, Program Manager

  1.  What is the name of this technology? 

The Regolith and Ice Drill for Exploring New Terrains (TRIDENT)

  1. What does it do?

TRIDENT is an ice mining drill developed for NASA for use in two Moon missions: a rover and a lander.   We develop mining systems to dig, collect, process and transfer samples for in-situ analysis or sample return missions. We also develop mining systems to extract valuable resources, such as water, for so called In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) missions.

  1. How does it work?

TRIDENT has four main subsystems:

    • a drill head that combines rotation and percussion to excavate,
    • a deployment stage for placing the drill in the ground,
    • a feed stage for moving the drill as much as a meter beneath the surface,
    • and avionics and software for controlling and powering the drill.
  1. How is it better than the older technology?

Apollo astronauts first drilled on the Moon in 1971. They found it challenging the further they drilled, and the drill slowed the more it encountered buried rocks. The TRIDENT drill is a robotic system operated from Earth, making it faster and easier to use, enabling it to drill up to 50 holes while on the VIPER rover. It can also withstand more extreme conditions, such as those encountered in the South Pole of the Moon.

  1. What classes should I take in school to work on this?

Math, Physics, Engineering

 

  1. Pictures
Lunar Mining 1
  1. Links

Honeybee Robotics Exploration Systems https://www.honeybeerobotics.com/products/drills/