RU2618608C2 - Method and device for sampling material from astronomical object surface - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: physics.

SUBSTANCE: group of inventions relates to the active research of the astronomical object (AO), such as an asteroid or a comet. The method includes the AO subjecting the surface with the directed AO electron beam from the spacecraft hovering over the AO surface. The evaporation products of the AO soil are captured by the material collector (a substrate with the lens hood) mounted on the device in front of the electron beam source.

EFFECT: increasing reliability and safety of sampling materials from the AO surface.

2 cl; 1 dwg

Description

The invention relates to space technology, and in particular to methods and means of sampling matter from the surface of an astronomical object (AO), for example an asteroid or comet, which is a near-term task of modern astronautics.

Known Japanese spacecraft (SC) "Hayabusa" ("Falcon"), the purpose of the creation and flight of which was to deliver to the Earth a soil sample from the asteroid "Itokawa" [1]. Hayabusa scientific equipment included: a soil sampling device, a multi-range camera for mapping and navigation, a multi-beam infrared laser range finder, a near infrared spectrometer for determining the mineral composition of the surface, and a fluorescence x-ray spectrometer for studying the elemental composition of the surface. It was planned to take the soil as follows: when in contact with the surface, shoot a tantalum bullet at it, collect flying sand grains into a small capsule and immediately go up. In fact, when the dirt pipe touched the surface, a shot that was supposed to form a dust cloud did not occur. Due to the loss of stability, the device fell to the surface.

Based on the Hayabusa flight experience in Japan, the Hayabusa-2 probe is being developed, which is not fundamentally different from the Hayabusa. It is planned around 2020 to deliver samples taken not from the surface of an astronomical object (AO), but from some depth. For this, a special 30-centimeter impactor will produce an explosion on the surface, forming a meter-wide funnel. At the bottom of it, the internal material of the asteroid will become available. For reliability, the apparatus will be equipped with two systems for collecting an asteroid substance - mechanical and based on a special sticky substance.

It should be noted that Hayabusa as a probe for first contacts with asteroids is excessively complicated. The irrational technology of contacting the soil sampling device with the surface caused the Hayabus apparatus to lose stability and fall to the surface. The Hayabusa-2 device under development suffers from the disadvantages inherent in its predecessor.

The Rosetta project is known for the delivery of the Philae apparatus to the comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko for landing on a comet and conducting a number of studies [2]. Three attempts were made to land, while the harpoons did not work, with which the Philae apparatus was to fix on the surface of the comet. The soil turned out to be rocky and not “fluffy”, as was supposed, and the landing craft bounced off the surface. Due to unstable fixation on the surface, it was not possible to drill and take soil samples, which was one of the main tasks of the flight. The transition to enhanced drilling modes - 1, 2, 3, and 4 (with an increase in power) did not give positive results, since this did not increase the strength of the fastening of harpoons on the surface of the comet. A preliminary analysis of the landing technology and its structural support, namely: the lack of data on the nature of the surface, the microrelief at the places of the alleged docking with the comet, the lack of reliable means of harpoon penetration into the ground, allows us to conclude that the solution to this problem is low reliability, which was confirmed by the real move events.

From the consideration of the above analogues, it follows that attempts to bring the spacecraft into mechanical contact with AO lead to accidents or, at least, reduce the reliability of the task of sampling.

The proximity of the technical solution of the proposed method, the prototype has not been identified. For the inventive device, the prototype is [2].

The objective of the invention is to increase the reliability and safety of sampling matter from the surface of astronomical objects, such as asteroids and comets.

The problem is solved in that the method of sampling matter from the surface of an astronomical object is that the spacecraft is put into hovering mode above the surface of the astronomical object, the surface of the astronomical object is exposed to a directed electron beam, the vapor stream formed as a result of thermal the evaporation of matter from the surface of an astronomical object by a given beam.

The problem is also solved by the fact that the device for sampling the substance from the surface of the AO contains a means of influencing the surface of the AO and an element for collecting samples of the substance of the surface of the AO, while the means of influencing the surface of the AO is installed on the end face of the spacecraft and is made in the form of a source of a directed electron beam with a hood, element the collection of substances is installed in front of the source of the directed electron beam and is made in the form of a substrate with a central axial hole mounted on the end of the spacecraft, and the source, hood and hole of the substrate are aligned.

In FIG. 1 shows a device for sampling a substance from the surface of an astronomical object.

In the drawing:

1 - spacecraft;

2 - source of directional electron beam;

3 - substrate;

4 - a hood;

5 - steam flow;

6 - surface of an astronomical object.

The implementation of the method and the operation of the device are as follows: the spacecraft 1 is put into hovering mode above the surface of AO 6, the source of the directed electron beam is exposed to the surface of AO 6 by the electron beam. Thermal evaporation of the surface material of AO 6 from heating due to electron bombardment occurs. The pressure of the electron beam displaces the vapors from the formed funnel and helps to stabilize the vapor stream 5 with a certain radiation pattern. The vapor stream 5, partially localized by blend 4, condenses on the substrate 3, while the solid precipitate deposited on it is the material for multi-parameter analysis when returning to Earth or on board the spacecraft.

The use of electron-beam heating to evaporate matter from the surface of an astronomical object, followed by condensation on a substrate, allows sampling of the substance without mechanical contact. This does not violate the stability of the spacecraft, ensures the reliability and safety of sampling the substance of the investigated astronomical object, such as an asteroid or comet.

Thus, the set of distinctive features of the invention provides a reliable solution to the problem.

Literature

1. Magazine "Around the World": Falconry, No. 1 (2844) January 2011.

2. INERFAX.RU. November 13, 2014 // NEW Sru. Com // Worldwide // November 13, 2014

Claims (2)

1. The method of sampling a substance from the surface of an astronomical object, characterized in that the spacecraft is put into hovering mode above the surface of the astronomical object, the surface of the astronomical object is exposed to a directed electron beam, the vapor stream formed as a result of thermal evaporation of the surface material is partially localized and condensed astronomical object given beam. 2. A device for sampling a substance from the surface of an astronomical object, containing a means of influencing the surface of the astronomical object and an element for collecting samples of the substance of the surface of the astronomical object, characterized in that the means of influencing the surface of the astronomical object is installed at the end of the spacecraft and is made in the form of a source of a directed electron beam with a hood, a substance collection element is installed in front of a directional electron beam source and is made in the form of a substrate with a central th axial opening fixed to the end face of the spacecraft, the source, and an opening coaxial blend substrate.

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