Design and implementation of sampling, encapsulating, and sealing system of Chang’e-5

Abstract

<p indent=0mm>Chang’e-5 explorers realized the first extraterrestrial body sample return mission of China. The sampling, encapsulating, and sealing processes are one of the critical links in Chang’e-5 mission. The depth-section samples of lunar subsurface and multipoint samples of the lunar surface were acquired successively, and all the lunar samples were sealed using very low leaking-rate encapsulation. Here, we first analyze the task characteristics of lunar sampling, encapsulation, and sealing. Then, we discuss the important approaches on high reliable sampling, unfixed structure encapsulation, measurement of key manipulation, system integrated verification, and teleoperation on the lunar surface. The technology features in the flight-model development process are presented. Then, the implementation of lunar drilling, surface sampling, sealing, and state checking during Chang’e-5 mission is summarized. It is confirmed that the scheme of the sampling, encapsulation and sealing system is correct, and the teleoperation approach is efficient.