Design of a hermetically sealing inlet for in-situ planetary exploration

Abstract

A miniature low-powered life detection device for in-situ isolation and sequencing of nucleic acids is to be used to test the hypothesis of a plausible shared ancestry due to meteoric exchange between Earth and Mars. The soil sample collection inlet is a critical part of the device. The following paper presents a design review of previous inlet mechanisms and an inlet design proposal for in-situ planetary exploration. The key attributes of the design are the sealing interfaces and an inverted dovetail cross sectional geometry for a linear carriage. The inlet emphasizes a design for manufacturability, weight savings, durability, and many cycles. Based on the established fundamental requirements, the design is evaluated on the thermal analysis at the extreme theoretical temperatures and the force, power, and energy required to actuate and seal the inlet, using Finite Element Analysis and numerical computation. The design successfully meets the majority of the fundamental requirements. The modularity and low required actuation force of the design are applicable to many current and future space instruments.