Reaching 1 m deep on Mars: the Icebreaker drill

Area of Science:

• Planetary Science
• Astrobiology
• Robotic Systems Engineering

Background:

• Future Mars exploration necessitates subsurface access for sample acquisition and in situ resource utilization.
• The Icebreaker mission aims to search for life in Mars Special Regions, requiring stringent contamination control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report on the development and testing of the Icebreaker drill and its triple redundant sample delivery system.
• To validate the drill's performance in Mars analog environments and assess its readiness for space missions.

Main Methods:

• Development and testing of a 1-meter class rotary-percussive drill with a triple redundant sample delivery system.
• Autonomous drilling, sample acquisition, and transfer demonstrated in Arctic, Antarctic Dry Valleys, and a Mars environmental chamber.
• Performance evaluation based on depth, time, weight on bit, and power consumption (the "1-1-100-100" standard).

Main Results:

• The Icebreaker drill successfully acquired subsurface samples in diverse Mars analog environments, including pure ice, ice-rich regolith (with/without rocks and perchlorate), and whole rocks.
• Demonstrated "1-1-100-100" performance: 1 m depth in ~1 hour using <100 N weight on bit and ~100 W power.
• The drill system achieved Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5, with a flight-like model weighing 10 kg at TRL 5/6.

Conclusions:

• The Icebreaker drill is a robust and efficient system capable of meeting the demanding requirements for subsurface access and sample acquisition on Mars.
• The demonstrated performance and TRL level indicate readiness for integration into future Mars exploration missions, particularly those focused on life detection and resource utilization.