Drilling performance

A TDE funded activity, led by the University of Glasgow (UK), together with the British Antarctic Survey (UK) and Apogee Engineering, investigated and breadboarded a new deep drilling technology for future use on planetary surfaces. Aimed with reaching depths of 20 m, an order of magnitude deeper than conventional subsurface approaches, the drill must be able to penetrate through various types of regolith, rocks, permafrost, and ice. 

The results of drill campaigns in aircrete, limestone, sandstone, gypsum, tuff, and ice. A full single ‘peck’ is around a 7cm extension on the downhole module.