Abstract
Methods of installing certain geophysical sensors such as seismometers and heat flow sensors underground are needed for future lunar/planetary exploration. On the Moon, installing such units at depths exceeding several tens of centimeters enables overnight survival without any thermally shielded mechanism. For this purpose, we proposed a new mechanism named "Self-Turning Screw Mechanism" (STSM), which utilizes the reactive torque of a wheel to drill into regolith. The STSM consists of a body with a screw-like blade, a wheel located inside the body, a motor to drive the wheel, and a clutch that mechanically connects the wheel and body. Repeated acceleration of the wheel and the mechanical connection of the clutch cause the unidirectional rotation of the STSM body, thereby drilling into the regolith. This paper presents the concept of the STSM, describes our recent prototype designs, and examines the results of related experiments.
