ROSETTA manipulator

4-axis manipulator for use in deep space

4-axis handling system for scanning of sample carriers that have collected comet dust in space.

Application

COSIMA is a mass spectrometer on board the space probe ROSETTA. It collects dust from comets and analyses their chemical composition.

CEMEC developed the handling system which "holds" the sample carriers for COSIMA during the trip into space. Once there, it delivers them to the mass spectrometer and scans them with an accuracy of 3µm. The handler also places the sample carriers into the storage port and transports them to the chemical analysis unit.

The Mission

The manipulator can be positioned with an accuracy of 3 µm. No electronics, only with simple electrical signals.
The sample carrier remains precisely positioned even if power fails

Rosetta is designed to perform research on the origin of our solar system by analysing one of the oldest and most original celestial bodies, a comet. The mission consists of an orbiter and the landing unit. Rosetta reached its target, the comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko, in April 2014. After 10 years in sleep mode, all of the units were woken up successfully.

Services

Complete development of the concept, mechanical design, drive sizing, modelling, and position detection concept.

Manufacturing

The sample carriers were supplied complete. Processing of special materials such as gold, platinum, palladium.
All mechanical systems including assembly, custom ball guides, custom spindles with a special coating, sample carriers out of gold, platinum and palladium.

Noteworthy

Very small overall size and low weight, Ariane 5-B launch conditions (43 g from three directions, low drive power, cumulative positioning error of 3.0 µm.

Customer

Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics, Munich

External link: Max Panck Institut

Technical Data

Overall size120 x120 x 250 mm³Length x width x height
Total weight1250 gwithout housing
Drive power5 Wper axis
Accuracy3 µmPositioning error
Operation in a vacuum10 x 1E-14 Torrdeep space vacuum
Launch specifications43 g from all 3 directionsARIANE 5-B
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