Europa Penetrator Design and Survivability TestingIPPW10Sanjay Vijendran, ESA ESTEC

Marie-Claire Perkinson, Lester Waugh, Mike Williams, Astrium

Tom Kennedy, University College London (Mullard Space Science Laboratory)

Phillip Church, QinetiQ

Jeremy Fielding, Rapid Space Technologies

Nick Taylor, University of Cambridge (Cavendish Laboratory)

19/06/2013 - 2

Mission Overview

Mission Science Goals Key science focus

astrobiology

Primary payloads Mass spectrometer Habitability package Microscope

Sampling system required drill through the shell and collect material for analysis

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Sampling Mechanism

Mass Spectrometer

Microscope

Penetrator Design

19/06/2013 - 4

EPAC front bay

Warm platform bay showing configuration

Rear plate

E-PAC

Central Bulkhead

Cold bay

Warm bay

Bay support system

Delivery System Design Function to deliver

the penetrator to the right location with the right impact conditions

PDS provides: attitude control descent timing large delta-V Penetrator release Orbiter interface

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Main engine

Attitude control thrusters

Bipropellant system

Avionics bay

System Verification Current contract is focussed on maturing

technology and reducing risk for penetrator missions

Method applied: Impact Modelling for penetrator and critical components Small scale impact testing for critical components Functional testing for sampling mechanism Full scale impact testing to demonstrate mechanical system

performance and key items

19/06/2013 - 6

Small Scale Modelling Modelling of impact set up at

Cavendish Determine the speeds and materials

to be used for the small scale test flyer plates

Aim to reproduce the loading regime experience at full scale

Modelling of small scale test items

Small scale penetrator model Key electronics Torlon springs

19/06/2013 - 7

Small Scale Model Results

19/06/2013 - 8

Full Scale Modelling

Date - 9

Date - 10

Date - 11

Date - 12

Small Scale Tests Small scale testing

programme carried out at University of Cambridge Cavendish Labs

Following tests carried out: Batteries Data loggers Torlon leaf springs Drill components UHF critical components Scaled shells with Al plugged

apertures

Test outcomes largely successful

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Plugged Shell & Test Compartments

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Plugged Penetrator aperture

Torlon Spring Test Results (1)

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Torlon Spring Test Results (2)

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43 us

128 us

241 us

299 us

385 us

556 us

641 us

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Functional Testing (1/2)

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Functional Testing (2/2)

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Full Scale Tests Full scale testing of the penetrator

planned for July 2013

Tests carried out at the QinetiQ operated MoD test range at Pendine

Rocket sled used to accelerate the Penetrator to a ~300m/s impact velocity

Two firings planned, one into sand, one into ice

Target dimensions 3 x 3 x 6 m

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Full Scale Breadboards

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Next Steps Complete full scale testing

Review outcomes

Plan for next steps: Potential follow on activities to be decided Battery and transceiver technologies to be addressed Inductive interface for power and data also of interest

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