The progress of extraterrestrial regolith-sampling robots

Abstract

Space exploration has significantly enriched humanity’s understanding of the space environment in which our Earth resides and the evolution of the Solar System. What we know about a celestial body can be greatly enhanced through a thorough analysis of regolith samples. Extraterrestrial regolith-sampling robots are instrumental in acquiring regolith samples for return or in situ analysis in deep-space exploration. This Perspective systematically summarizes the history and latest developments of these robots, covering the basic concepts, historical context and evolution. Extensive insights into the challenges and constraints in sampling extraterrestrial celestial bodies are then explored. An in-depth analysis of the key ground-test technologies that guarantee the reliability and security of extraterrestrial sampling robotic systems is then presented. Next, a comprehensive perspective of the main technical trends in the development of new extraterrestrial regolith-sampling robots is given. Finally, a technical roadmap of China’s future space exploration missions is provided. Extraterrestrial regolith-sampling robots have made great achievements and changed our understanding of the Universe in the past. They will continue to innovate extraterrestrial regolith-exploring methods in even more fundamental ways, and greater achievements are underway. The future of Solar System exploration lies in the subsurface of rocky bodies, including planets. Robots provide a relatively cost-effective and safe method of probing the subsurface; this Perspective summarizes recent efforts in robotic drilling and regolith-sampling methods, concluding with a summary of China’s future space exploration plans.