Two-meter robotic arm will take samples from Mars and send them into orbit

Engineers are developing a robotic arm that will collect samples collected by the rover from Mars.

Perseverance.During the mission to return Martian soil to Earth, a 2.5-meter-long European robotic arm will lift tubes filled with soil from Mars and transfer them to a rocket for interplanetary delivery.

The architecture of the manipulator mimics the humanarm with shoulder, elbow and wrist. In addition, the robot has its own built-in "brain" and "eyes". ESA reports that the arm can perform a large range of motion with seven degrees of freedom. A high level of dexterity will allow the hand to remove the tubes from the rover, lift them from the Martian soil, insert them into the container and close the lid before launching from Mars.

Robotic arm for the Martian mission. Photo: Leonardo/Maxon/GMV/ OHB Italia/ SAB Aerospace s.r.o

The robot will be equipped with two cameras and multiple sensors. With these devices, he will be able to independently determine the best course of action and coordinate movements accordingly.

The robotic arm is part of the Mars Sample Return mission. It consists of three parts and aims to bring samples collected on the Red Planet to Earth by 2033.

Schematic of the Mars Sample Return mission. Image: EKA

After the rover collects the necessary samples,he will return to the launch pad. With the help of a manipulator, the collected soil will be loaded into a container and hermetically sealed. The robot will close the lid of the container and the Martian samples will be launched into orbit. There they will be picked up by the ESA Earth Return Orbiter (ERO), which will deliver the material back to Earth.

Cover image: Leonardo/Maxon/GMV/ OHB Italia/ SAB Aerospace s.r.o

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