Mechanical Testing on the Core Sample Transportation Mechanism of the ExoMars 2018 Mission

An overview is given of the Core Sample Transportation Mechanism (CSTM) as a mechanism placed on the ExoMars 2018 Mars rover to be used for receiving a drill sample and transferring it to sample preparation units and to the analysing instruments.As well as the actuation of the Sample Carrier to the location of sample transfer from the Rover’s drill, also the release of the sample to other systems became very challenging. Especially the environmental circumstances on Mars with its dusty and windy ambience result in high demands on the reliability of the mechanism.The total development consists of mechanical functionality tests and leak tightness tests in addition to the design work and the structural analysis. The paper will discuss the development and test validation in relation to the mission aims and the specifications which are arising out of it.