Advanced Deep-Drilling Technology for Subsurface Ice Melting and Water Extraction on Mars

Subsurface water-ice discovered in the mid-latitudes of Mars represents a compelling in situ resource for enabling propellant manufacturing and life support for a sustained human presence on Mars. Efforts to analyze remote sensing data and map subsurface ice layers have revealed the potential for widespread, large scale ice deposits, but technological barriers to accessing the ice and bringing it to the surface remain significant, given the potential depth to reach the ice, the unpredictable overburden layer, and overall extreme conditions on Mars. To address these challenges, Honeybee Robotics has developed the RedWater system—an integrated, flight-forward technology designed specifically for Mars subsurface water mining. RedWater uniquely integrates coiled tube drilling, a method widely used in oil and gas operations on Earth, with the Rodriguez Well (Rodwell) approach, also commonly used on Earth to establish a subsurface water reservoir by melting the surrounding ice. This paper presents the latest advancements on RedWater, including the progression to TRL6 and results from end-to-end testing in simulated Mars conditions. Testing was conducted within Honeybee's 5-meter tall thermal vacuum chamber (TVAC), maintaining -60C ice temperature and 5 torr ambient pressure, as well end-to-end freezer testing of the TRL6 system. Key engineering challenges addressed includes integration of all required subsystems that will be compatible with expected near-term constraints on a mission to Mars (mass, volume, complexity), and development of a flight-forward, robust drilling system capable of penetrating both the overburden layer as well as the ice utilizing pneumatic excavation of cuttings and assuming a total penetration depth up to 25 meters, while also packaging all of the elements required to produce the Rodwell and extract water. The successful outcome of this development effort showcases the technology’s capability in the extreme conditions on Mars. Results and performance data obtained from the various testing efforts offers valuable insights into system’s capabilities for future missions to Mars, and serves as a crucial step in developing integrated solutions for mission architectures that will increasingly depend on ISRU.