NASA MICRO-G NEXT 2020
ARTEMIS REGOLITH RECEPTACLE FOR CONTINGENCY HANDHELD EXTRACTION AND RETURN (ARRCHER)
NASA Micro-g NExT is a program designed to provide undergraduate students with experience designing, building, and testing hardware intended for use by astronauts. ARRCHER is an initial lunar sampling device designed to allow astronauts to collect the first lunar sample after landing as a contingency. It is made of lightweight aluminum and fits in the leg pocket of a spacesuit. It can quickly extend open, collect a sample, and lock closed containing the sample for stowage. I was the lead engineer for the team in 2020, and managed all CAD, 3D printing, and part procurement activities.
ARRCHER FEATURES
ARRCHER aimed to provide astronauts with a simple, fast, and secure method of collecting an initial sample. The device requires no setup, and springs into the open scooping position by disengaging the two-fault lock. The extensibility of the design ensures astronauts do not have to risk bending over too far in their spacesuits. To meet all these objectives a unique combination of mechanisms was required.
SPRING LOADED TUBES
Two telescoping tubes allow ARRCHER to double in height automatically
SECURE LOCKING
A two-step locking system prevents unintentional opening of the device
ASTRONAUT FRIENDLY
Rounded edges and ergonomic handle for simple device operations
NASA TESTED
Due to the Pandemic in 2020, ARRCHER was shipped to NASA JSC for testing in the NBL. I remotely directed the test divers to conduct our operations plan. The functionality of the tool as a sampling device was successfully demonstrated with minor hiccups due to bolt loosening. NASA engineers provided constructive criticism regarding the complexity of the design. Overall a great success considering the circumstances.
REAL TIME OPERATIONS
Remote test conduction from Daytona to Houston over video and audio feed
SIMULATED LUNAR CONDITIONS
The NBL diver was weighted to lunar gravity and wore EVA spacesuit gloves for realism
NASA ENGINEER FEEDBACK
Constructive criticism helped improve future work and understanding of lunar environment
LESSONS LEARNED
ARRCHER was an exciting project to work on, I deepened my understanding of the lunar environment to effectively design this tool with my team. The 2020 Pandemic made it more difficult to collaborate and test remotely however I learned to overcome these barriers and work effectively in a virtual setting. ARRCHER was entirely modeled by myself in Fusion 360 with design input from my team. This was a major learning experience for me and has taught me how to efficiently model parts in complex assemblies. I also conducted rapid prototyping using 3D printing, and since ARRCHER is somewhat of a complex tool, I got a lot of practice with 3D printing new iterations. I also applied my SCUBA certification for the first time to do underwater testing of the tool in advance of NASA. In the end during NASA testing a loose bolt hindered our test performance and NASA feedback suggested a simpler design approach. From these experiences I have learned to go forward into spaceflight designs with more simplicity, safety, and redundancy in mind.
GALLERY
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