DREAM Project as a first sub-orbital experiment to examine a drilling process in microgravity conditions.

Paper number

IAC-17,A2,3,9,x41384

Author

Ms. Dorota Budzyn, Wroclaw University of Technology, Poland

Coauthor

Mr. Mikolaj Podgorski, Wroclaw University of Technology, Poland

Coauthor

Mr. Jedrzej Kowalewski, Wroclaw University of Technology, Poland

Coauthor

Mr. Konrad Pleban, Wroclaw University of Technology, Poland

Coauthor

Mr. Kamil Siecinski, Wroclaw University of Technology, Poland

Coauthor

Mr. Artur Blaszczyk, Wroclaw University of Technology, Poland

Coauthor

Mr. Maksymilian Żurman, Poland

Year

2017

Abstract

The DREAM Project’s (DRilling Experiment for Asteroid Mining) main objective is to examine the drilling process in microgravity and vacuum. Data gathered during this experiment will help to design equipment able to drill and take samples in microgravity conditions on small celestial objects. To gather such data experiment team took part in European international programme, led by European and German Space Agencies and Swedish National Space Board, called REXUS (Rocket Experiment for University Students). Organizers allow participants to take part in suborbital flight up to almost 100 kilometers on-board the sounding rocket launched from Esrange Space Center in Kiruna, Sweden. DREAM experiment launch date was March 2017.

The experiment's scientific goal was to measure the conditions and aspects of drilling in space environment, especially to measure the output distribution and condition of output after excavation. Part of the parameters was measured during the flight by the vision system equipment with custom made illumination system and two cameras and the rest was the result of on-ground analysis of collected output. Such process has never been studied in the space missions before.

One of the most innovative parts of the experiment was the measurement chamber for drilling process. The chamber had the functionality to capture the drilled output saving its distribution vector for the post-flight data analysis. With the use of the laser triangulation techniques and the fast camera acquisition the DREAM project was able to provide information about the 3D position of almost every rock fragment excavated during the drilling process in the reduced gravity.

Particle distribution vectors will be helpful to create a drilling process model useful for future designing of space mining machines. Determining proper technique of drilling or boring that will give best efficiency is one thing, but capturing the output is another. Both of them are equally important and scientific data from this project is a first step, made in-situ, to expand the knowledge about space excavating and output collecting technologies.

Abstract document

IAC-17,A2,3,9,x41384.brief.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-17,A2,3,9,x41384.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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