Design and validation of a high speed, high flexibility excitation sampling brush for deep space sampling

Asteroids are usually sampled by touch due to their small size and weak gravity, and the sampling time is short. Flexible brush high speed excitation sampling is an efficient and reliable sampling method. This paper designs a brush-type symmetrical rotating double-wheel structure brush excitation sampling mechanism for asteroid surface touch sampling in a short time. According to the characteristics of the brush sampling mechanism, a mathematical model for calculating the sampling volume of the sampling mechanism with multiple parameters is established. The sampling volume is verified by discrete element simulation method and microgravity drop tower test. The results show that for different gradations of stellar soil, the theoretical calculation and verification results are relatively consistent. It shows that the theoretical model can be used to estimate the sampling volume during brush excitation sampling. The results of this paper provide a basis for the subsequent asteroid sampling return.