Autonomous Planetary Liquid Sampler (APLS) for In Situ Sample Acquisition and Handling from Liquid Environments

Area of Science:

• Robotics and Automation
• Environmental Science
• Astrobiology

Background:

• Accessing remote liquid environments for water quality monitoring is challenging.
• Existing systems are often single-use and semi-autonomous.
• Robust, reusable, and autonomous liquid sampling technology is needed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a prototype of a fully autonomous liquid sampler.
• To enable robust and reusable liquid sampling in diverse environments.
• To facilitate scientific characterization of natural and planetary liquid settings.

Main Methods:

• Development of the Autonomous Planetary Liquid Sampler (APLS) prototype.
• Implementation of autonomous extraction, cleaning, and sterilization functionalities.
• Testing in laboratory conditions with *Bacillus subtilis* and varying temperatures/pressures.

Main Results:

• The APLS demonstrated safe and robust autonomous operation.
• A 250 mL liquid sample acquisition took 28 seconds.
• The system includes a 3.2-hour sterilization cycle at 150 °C for reusability.

Conclusions:

• The APLS prototype is a valuable tool for autonomous liquid sampling in challenging environments.
• The system's reusability and autonomous functions address limitations of current technologies.
• Future integration with analytical instruments will enable comprehensive liquid characterization.