Sampling of Small Regolith Particles from Asteroids Utilizing an Alternative Electrostatic Field and Electrostatic Traveling Wave

Abstract

To realize reliable and autonomous regolith sampling from asteroids in space, the author has developed a new sampling system that uses electrostatic force. This system uses a combination of electrostatic capture and transport of particles. High voltage is applied between parallel screen electrodes of the sampling device. As a result of the electrostatic force, particles are captured by the screen electrodes. The captured particles are then transported by an electrostatic traveling wave and transferred to a collection capsule. It has been demonstrated that lunar soil simulant, iron particles, and crushed ice can be sampled if the end of the screen electrode is in contact with the regolith for a short period of time (within 1 s). Because gravity is extremely low on small asteroids, the process of sampling particles on asteroids will be easier than that on the Earth.