From Mars to Earth: How the Sample Transfer Arm Will Make Interplanetary Delivery a Reality
Updated: Jan 28
Bringing Mars Rock Samples Back to Earth: This short animation features key moments of NASA and ESA’s Mars Sample Return campaign, from landing on Mars and securing the sample tubes to launching them off the surface and ferrying them back to Earth. Credits: NASA/ESA/JPL-Caltech/GSFC/MSFC
The mission to return Martian samples back to Earth is one step closer to becoming a reality thanks to the development of the Sample Transfer Arm (STA). This sophisticated 2.5-meter-long robotic arm, developed by the European Space Agency (ESA), will play a crucial role in the success of the Mars Sample Return campaign, a joint endeavor between NASA and ESA.
The STA is designed to be autonomous, highly reliable, and robust. Equipped with seven degrees of freedom and assisted by two cameras and a myriad of sensors, it is able to perform a wide range of movements. The robotic arm's gripper, akin to a human hand, is able to capture and handle the sample tubes at different angles.
The STA will land on Mars to retrieve the sample tubes that NASA's Perseverance Rover is currently collecting from the surface. With the ability to "see," "feel," and make autonomous decisions, its high level of dexterity allows the arm to extract the tubes from the rover, pick them up from the Martian ground, insert them into a container, and close the lid before lifting off from Mars.
Perseverance, seen here in a selfie shot by its robotic arm, might not be able to detect biomarkers on the Martian surface. (Image credit: NASA/JPL–Caltech/MSSS)
Once the container is filled with Martian samples, the ESA's Earth Return Orbiter (ERO) will rendezvous with it and bring the material back to Earth. The goal of the MSR campaign is to bring back Martian samples to the best labs on Earth by 2033.
To ensure the success of the MSR campaign, learn more here at NASA, Bringing Mars Rock Samples Back to Earth and NASA's Perseverance Rover Deposits First Sample on Mars Surface, a backup plan has been put in place. In case the rover is unable to deliver the samples directly to the lander in 2030, a depot of samples will be created by early 2023. This includes two recovery helicopters that will be deployed from the lander to fetch the tubes.
Perseverance Deposits Its First Sample on the Martian Surface: Once the Perseverance team confirmed the first sample tube was on the surface, they positioned the WATSON camera located at the end of the rover’s robotic arm to peer beneath the rover, checking to be sure that the tube hadn’t rolled into the path of the wheels. Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS.
The first of the 10 tubes that will make up the backup depot was deposited at a designated site called "Three Forks," a carefully selected patch of the Martian surface. The process of dropping the sample is a well-orchestrated one, whereby Perseverance retrieves the sample from its belly, inspects it with an internal camera, and finally drops it from roughly 90 centimeters onto the designated site.
The significance of the Sample Transfer Arm and the MSR campaign cannot be overstated. The ability to bring Martian samples back to Earth for analysis will greatly enhance our understanding of the planet and its potential for future human exploration.
The MSR campaign is a major risk mitigation step for the Mars Sample Return campaign, and with the first depot of Mars samples in place, the exploration campaign is becoming very real and tangible. Now, with samples waiting for us on Mars, we have a place to revisit and study in greater detail.
Stay informed and up to date on the latest news about the Mars Sample Return campaign by following along here or at the European Space Agency And The First Sample Depot On Mars. As we inch closer to the historic interplanetary delivery, it's an exciting time to be a part of space exploration history.
Interesting Articles About The History of Humanities Vision For A Manned Mission To Mars
Why Haven’t Humans Reached Mars? by Discover Magazine
Manned Mars Surface Missions (1966) by Wired Magazine Circa APR 6, 2012
6 Technologies NASA is Advancing to Send Humans to Mars by NASA.gov
Here's what future Mars and lunar space colonies could look like by NBC NEWS
A Vehicle Like This Will One Day Go to Mars by Smithsonian Magazine
The First Rocket Launch from Mars Will Start in Midair From Scientific American
3D-printed rocket makers will send a payload to Mars by 2025 by Wearethemighty
NASA Reveals Early Plans to Send Two Astronauts to Surface of Mars From Futurism
What it will take for humans to colonize the Moon and Mars by Engadget.com
SpaceX's 1st crewed Mars mission could launch as early as 2024 -Elon Musk by Space.com
NASA Sees ‘Otherworldly’ Wreckage on Mars With Ingenuity Helicopter by NYTimes
Mars in 2050: 10 Future Technologies In The First Mars City by FutureBusinessTech
NASA Selects Nine Technologies for Commercial Flight Tests by NASA.gov
Elon Musk’s Mars Ambition Could Be the Riskiest Human Quest Ever by Bloomberg
When Are Humans Going To Mars? Here's Everything We Know by Screenrant
For any of my bloggers out there that would like to join in on the historic mission to Mars, below is a list of blog titles discussing this historic event.
European robotic arm to play crucial role in historic Mars Sample Return campaign"
"ESA's Sample Transfer Arm: The robotic hand that will retrieve Martian soil samples"
"The Sample Transfer Arm: A game-changer for interplanetary sample retrieval"
"NASA and ESA's joint mission to bring Martian samples back to Earth by 2033"
"Robotic arm to retrieve Martian samples for historic interplanetary delivery"
"ESA's Earth Return Orbiter to bring precious Martian samples back to Earth"
"The Sample Transfer Arm: A sophisticated robot with a "hand" for handling Martian soil samples"
"Mars Sample Return campaign reaches new milestone with first sample depot on Martian surface"
"ESA and NASA's Mars Sample Return campaign: A step closer to understanding the Red Planet"
"The Sample Transfer Arm: A robotic arm with a "hand" for handling Martian soil samples and a "brain" for autonomous decision making"
ESA and NASA's Joint Mission: The Sample Transfer Arm for Mars Sample Return"
"The Sample Depot on Mars: A Major Step for the Mars Sample Return Campaign"
"Europe's Role in the Mars Sample Return Mission: The Sample Transfer Arm"
"The Mars Perseverance Rover Deposits First Sample Tube for Mars Sample Return"
"Innovative Technology on Mars: The Sample Transfer Arm's Role in the Mars Sample Return Mission"
"A Look into the Mars Sample Return Campaign: The Sample Depot on Mars"
"From Mars to Earth: The Sample Transfer Arm's Role in the Mars Sample Return Mission"
"The Mars Sample Return Mission: A Collaboration between NASA and ESA"
"Returning Martian Samples to Earth: The Sample Transfer Arm and Mars Sample Return"
"Exploring Mars Together: ESA and NASA's Mars Sample Return Mission and the Sample Depot on Mars"