Design and Modeling of the NU Smart Space Drilling System (SSDS)

Deep space drilling is necessary for appropriate chemical and biological sampling for subsurface exploration. The Smart Space Drilling System (SSDS), which is currently being developed at Northeastern University (NU), is a compact self-propelled, steerable electromechanical drilling system that can penetrate into large depths in planetary bodies. In this paper we present the detailed design and modeling of the SSDS. Its main components are: a) the drill bit/cuttings bucket, b) the rotary propulsion unit including three 3-degree of freedom (DOF) propulsion actuators, c) the power/control module, d) the non-rotating steering unit including three 1-DOF steering actuators and e) the communication module. Three 3-DOF propulsion actuators uniformly distributed around the rotary propulsion unit impart rotating, linear motion to the drilling bit, while another three 1-DOF steering actuators provide the steering force for automatic directional control. The SSDS is propelled in the manner of a turning screw, which offers simpler kinematics structure, higher efficiency and thus, potential for miniaturization and deep drilling. Mathematical modeling and analysis of the SSDS were conducted to predict, design and optimize its performance.