Crashing rockets: A new asteroid sample collection technique

An artist conception which shows a sampling rocket, with a tether linking a return
capsule inside the rocket to a recovery craft

For a long time, if I say since the Apollo era, the sample collecting missions have been primarily limited to asteroid surface/solar wind sampling. This actually calls for a better collection technique that might bring comprehensive sampling which would give us critical information on the solar system and a life beyond Earth. 

During the last five years, a University of Washington class headed to the Nevada desert, mainly in the spring breaks. So what made this class so curious to be in the desert. It wasnt about the desert they were curious. It was about the rockets that they made to launch. It was all about pure science and engineering appearance. They fired rockets from kites and balloons at an altitude of 3,000 feet (914m) straight into the ground at Black rock, Nevada. It was actually a serious effort to develop new ways of collecting samples from asteroids. 

The test was a part of the "Sample Return Systems for Extreme Environments" project by R.M.Winglee, C.Truitt of Department of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Washington. The idea is that the rocket will hit the surface and as it burrows in a short distance, ports on either side of the nose will collect a sample and funnel it to an interior capsule. The capsule will be attached by tether to a balloon or a spacecraft, which would immediately reel in the capsule to recover the sample. 

Schematic of the deployment penetrator system for a flyby mission, starting with its
1) deployment of a tether 2)spin up of the system to minimize the penetrators speed to the surface
3) hard impact with the surface and recovery of the sample only and 4) recovery of the sample by the main spacecraft

'The novel thing about this is that it developed out of our student rocket class. Its been a successful class, but there were a significant number of rockets that went ballistically into the ground. We learned a lot of physics from those crashes," Winglee said. The technology, which recently received $500,000 over two years from NASA Innovative Concepts, could have a number of applications, he said. 

Impact Scenario, On impact the crumple zone is compressed allowing for the safe deceleration
of the sample return system. Sample material is forced through a centre feed tube that is connected to the return sample system which returns to the main spacecraft

Proposed penetrator showing the hardened tip with sample ports that allow material
to move up central collecting tube where it is captured with the sample return system which attached to the tether. The sample return system is supported by energy absorbing material to prevent damage on impact. It is almost 6ft long with 6in diameter

This developing technique might help the scientists to collect samples from high areas of contamination, for eg: Japan's Fukushima Daichi nuclear power plant, Chernobyl nuclear power plant etc which suffered catastrophic failures. It could even help scientists to collect sample from erupting volcano etc to give enough samples to learn more about the processes etc. But these are some applications among a lot more to come. But this technique is not just for Earth. It is also meant to go to space. In space, the system could collect samples from a single asteroid or a series of them, with a mothership recovering the tethered capsules and returning them to Earth. 

Winglee said that he have noted a growing interest in possible mining asteroids, both for finding substances that are in increasingly short supply on Earth and potentially to find the natural resources to creat fule for long-term space missions. For this project, Winglee is working with Robert Hoyt of Tethers Unlimited Inc. of Bothell, Washington, which has developed tether technology for use in space, on Earth and in the Oceans. 

Launch of the penetrator from 2500 ft held up to by two power sled kites. The air speed
of the penetrator at ignition is about 20mph and this leads to the peculiar smoke trail. When the motor comes up to pressure, the smoke is more energetic and travels more vertically until the point where the penetrator is speeding towards the ground. This combination results in question mark pattern. 

Winglee said that the second phase of the testing could take place in California next summer, with follow up tests a year later. Rockets would be fired from a higher altitude in an attempt to achieve twice the sound of sound, or about 1,520 mph. 

This technique can be a breakthrough for our missions beyond Earth. If the technology is used for positive goals then this is good thing. I hope the guys know what they are doing. Let it be for the future of our Earth and environment and not for wars. :) :D 

CAD drawing of the spacecraft

Movement of one of the penetrator into its lowering position with the attached on the tether

lowering of the penetrator with the tether

return of the sample by the tether to the spacecraft where it can be stored in the initial position of the penetrator