PolyU develops and manufactures space instruments for the Nation’s Chang’e-6 mission, successfully completing the first lunar far side sampling in human history

In support of the Nation’s landmark sample return mission from the far side of the moon, the PolyU research team led by Prof. YUNG Kai-leung, Director of the Research Centre for Deep Space Explorations (RCDSE), Sir Sze-yuen Chung Professor in Precision Engineering, Chair Professor of Precision Engineering and Associate Head of the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, collaborated with the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) to develop and manufacture the “Surface Sampling and Packing System” for this historic task. On June 3, the PolyU-developed system accomplished the tasks of automatic sample collection and packaging on the lunar surface, following the soft landing of the Chang’e-6 probe, marking a milestone in human space exploration. The probe has already taken off from the moon with the cargo of the first-ever lunar soil samples from the far side set to return to Earth on June 25.

Unlike previous methods adopted by other countries involving drilling or manual excavation, PolyU’s “Surface Sampling and Packing System” is designed as fully automated multi-point lunar surface sampling and with a packaging mechanism. In Hong Kong, PolyU was involved in the design and manufacturing of Samplers A and B, together with two accompanying high temperature Near-field Cameras for multiple-point surface sample collections, and automatic vision guidance of the sampling, sample deposition and sample container pickup and precision placement into the ascender. The PolyU-designed and manufactured flight units also included a primary sealing and packaging system that consisted of a sample container and its sealing mechanism.

The sampling process briefly started with the Near-field Cameras mounted on the robotic arm next to Samplers A and B. These Cameras guided the sampling and sample deposition into the PolyU sample container in the primary sealing and packaging system. Upon the completion of the sampling process, the sample container was sealed by the sealing and packaging device for picking up by the sampler which was vision-guided by the Near-field Cameras for automatic precision insertion into the ascender for transporting back to Earth.

Press release: https://polyu.hk/MakDV

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