In-situ curing sampling capsule and sampling system for lunar lava tube rock wall

Abstract

The invention relates to an in-situ solidification sampling capsule and sampling system for the rock wall of a lunar lava tube. The in-situ solidification sampling capsule comprises a penetrating shell, a hybrid driving mechanism, a plurality of storage barrels with piston structures, a static mixing nozzle and an anchoring structure, a porous injection area which is communicated with the external environment and is independent from the accommodating space is arranged in the middle of the shell in a penetrating manner; the hybrid driving mechanism is used for driving the piston structure to move in the storage barrel along one end far away from the hybrid driving mechanism; the static mixing nozzle is used for mixing the multi-component reagent and then injecting the mixed reagent into the rock wall to improve the curing effect; the anchoring structure is used for being triggered when penetrating through the shell and impacting a target rock wall, and forms mechanical occlusion with rock mass pores and cracks in the rock wall to prevent the capsule from shifting in the sampling process. The technical problems of limited sampling range, low sample fidelity, high operation risk and insufficient recovery reliability in a special lunar environment in the prior art are solved, and the sampling capacity for steep rock walls and internal rock wall sections is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of deep space exploration and planetary geological sampling technology, specifically to an in-situ solidification sampling capsule and sampling system for lunar lava tube walls. Background Technology

[0002] Lunar lava tubes are considered ideal sites for future lunar base construction due to their natural protection against radiation and micrometeorite impacts. The internal walls of lunar lava tubes typically exhibit a multi-layered structure, including loose lunar regolith, breccia, and locally dense basalt layers. Their mechanical properties and structural integrity directly affect the stability of the lava tubes and the safety of constructing underground lunar bases.

[0003] Current lunar and small body sampling technologies largely rely on ground-based, mechanical contact operations, drilling, or blowing. However, these technologies face significant challenges when sampling lunar lava tubes, steep impact crater walls, or subsurface structures of other low-gravity bodies. First, sampling by the Apollo, Chang'e, and other missions primarily involves surface sampling via probe contact with the target surface or close-range manipulation by robotic arms. This makes sampling difficult in areas inaccessible to direct contact, such as steep rock walls or the interior of lava tubes, and is complex and costly in high-risk environments. Second, most existing sampling methods struggle to preserve the original spatial arrangement and particle size distribution of loose geological media, leading to sample disintegration, loss of loose material, and damage to geological background information during extraction, thus affecting the integrity and repeatability of scientific analysis. Finally, traditional sampling methods often require mechanical cutting, drilling, or pneumatic jetting to obtain samples, and the recovery phase often involves multiple contacts and separations, increasing the risk of sample damage and loss. Furthermore, the reliability of recovery under long-term, extreme environments needs improvement.

[0004] Therefore, how to provide an in-situ solidification sampling capsule for lunar lava tube walls, solving the technical problems of limited sampling range, low sample fidelity, high operational risk, and insufficient recovery reliability in the existing technology, and improving the sampling capability of steep rock walls and internal rock wall profiles, is a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned problems, this invention aims to provide an in-situ solidification sampling capsule and sampling system for lunar lava tube walls, thereby solving at least one of the aforementioned technical problems.

[0006] To address the aforementioned technical problems, in a first aspect, the present invention provides an in-situ solidification sampling capsule for the rock wall of a lunar lava tube, the sampling capsule comprising: The device has a penetrating shell with an accommodating space inside. One end of the penetrating shell has a bullet-shaped structure, and a porous injection area is provided in the middle of the penetrating shell. The porous injection area is connected to the external environment and is independent of the accommodating space. A hybrid drive mechanism is fixedly disposed within the accommodating space and located near the other end of the penetrating housing; Multiple storage cylinders with piston structures are arranged side-by-side along the axis of the penetrating shell. One end of each piston structure is embedded in the end port of a corresponding storage cylinder and slidably and sealingly engages with the internal cavity of the storage cylinder. The other ends of the multiple piston structures are connected to the drive end of the mixing drive mechanism, for driving the piston structure to move within the storage cylinder along the end away from the mixing drive mechanism. A ruptureable metal film is sealed at the other end port of each storage cylinder to seal the reagent inside the storage cylinder to prevent premature leakage or reaction. A static mixing nozzle, wherein the inlet end of the static mixing nozzle is fixedly connected to the other end of the plurality of storage cylinders, and the outlet end of the static mixing nozzle is sealed and connected to the porous injection area; An anchoring structure is provided at one end of the penetrating shell and is used to be triggered when the penetrating shell impacts the target rock wall, forming a mechanical engagement with the rock pores and fissures inside the rock wall.

[0007] Preferably, the porous injection zone includes a flow guiding cavity, a plurality of flow guiding holes, and a one-way check valve adapted to the number of flow guiding holes; the plurality of flow guiding holes are radially spaced and evenly opened in the middle region of the penetrating shell and penetrate the side wall of the penetrating shell; the flow guiding cavity, which is connected to the flow guiding holes, is opened in the middle region of the penetrating shell; the flow guiding cavity is arranged around the accommodating space and is independent of the accommodating space; the outlet end of the static mixing nozzle is fixedly connected to the flow guiding cavity through a sealed pipe; a one-way check valve is fixedly installed at the inner port of each flow guiding hole; the conduction direction of the one-way check valve is from the flow guiding cavity to the external rock wall, which is used to prevent external rock wall debris, dust and other substances from entering the porous injection zone, and at the same time prevent the solidified mixture in the flow guiding cavity from flowing back to the static mixing nozzle or the accommodating space.

[0008] Preferably, the hybrid drive mechanism includes: A control module, which is fixed within the accommodating space and disposed near the other end of the penetrating housing; A shape memory alloy is electrically connected to the control module; the fixing part of the shape memory alloy is fixedly disposed in the accommodating space and arranged close to the control module, and a locking pin is fixedly connected to the end of the connecting part of the shape memory alloy away from the fixing part. A push rod and a spring are provided. The push rod is arranged along the axis of the penetrating housing, and its side wall has a limiting hole adapted to a locking pin at the end near the shape memory alloy. The locking pin is pluggably inserted into the limiting hole. The spring is fixedly connected between the fixing part of the shape memory alloy and the push rod, and the spring is in a pre-compressed state. The end of the push rod away from the spring is connected to multiple piston structures for synchronously pushing multiple piston structures. When the shape memory alloy is energized and heated to shrink, it causes the locking pin to be pulled out of the limiting hole, and the spring releases its elastic force to drive the push rod to move axially.

[0009] Preferably, each of the piston structures includes an integrally formed piston body and a connecting rod. The piston body is fixedly disposed at one end of the connecting rod. The piston body is coaxially slidably engaged with the inner wall of the corresponding storage cylinder and maintains a sealed engagement with the inner wall of the storage cylinder during sliding. The other end of the connecting rod is fixedly connected to the end of the push rod away from the spring, so as to synchronously drive the piston structure to slide along the axial direction of the storage cylinder through the axial movement of the push rod.

[0010] Preferably, the anchoring structure includes: A number of micro barbs are evenly arranged circumferentially on the outer side wall of one end of the penetrating shell. The micro barbs are made of highly elastic metal and have outwardly opening prestress. A pressing structure adapted to the number of micro-barbs is used to press the micro-barbs against the surface of the penetrating shell. When the sampling capsule impacts the rock wall, the pressing structure detaches from the micro-barbs and the penetrating shell, and the micro-barbs unfold and embed into the pore structure of the rock mass.

[0011] Preferably, the number of storage cylinders is set to three, namely a curing agent storage cylinder, a crosslinking agent storage cylinder, and a catalyst storage cylinder. The curing agent storage cylinder is used to store curing agent monomers, the crosslinking agent storage cylinder is used to store anhydrous amine crosslinking agents, and the catalyst storage cylinder is used to store latent catalysts.

[0012] Preferably, each of the storage cylinders consists of a hollow rigid cylinder and a protective liner. The protective liner is fixedly disposed on the inner wall of the rigid cylinder and is made of a flexible fluoropolymer material, which can maintain good sealing performance and chemical stability in vacuum and low temperature environments.

[0013] Preferably, the static mixing nozzle is provided with a mixing structure, which includes a central shaft and a helical blade. The central shaft is fixedly arranged along the axial direction of the static mixing nozzle, and the helical blade is sleeved on the central shaft and is rotatably connected to the central shaft without damping, so as to achieve full mixing of the curing agent through fluid shearing and segmentation.

[0014] Preferably, the other end of the penetrating shell is provided with a recycling interface for fixed connection with the recycling rope.

[0015] Secondly, the present invention also provides an in-situ solidification sampling system for the rock wall of a lunar lava tube, the sampling system comprising: The system includes a retrieval rope, a lunar rover equipped with a launch mechanism, and an in-situ solidification sampling capsule for the lunar lava tube wall as described in the first aspect; one end of the retrieval rope is fixedly connected to the retrieval interface of the sampling capsule, and the other end is fixedly connected to the launch mechanism of the lunar rover, the launch mechanism being used to launch the sampling capsule at a preset controllable speed and angle onto the target rock wall.

[0016] Beneficial effects: This invention provides an in-situ solidification sampling capsule for lunar lava tube walls, specifically comprising a penetrating shell, a mixing drive mechanism, multiple storage cylinders with piston structures, a static mixing nozzle, and an anchoring structure. The penetrating shell has an accommodating space, and one end of the penetrating shell has a bullet-shaped structure. This bullet-shaped penetrating shell reduces resistance during impact with the rock wall and improves impact stability, ensuring the capsule accurately embeds into the target area. A porous injection area is provided in the middle of the penetrating shell. This porous injection area is connected to the external environment but independent of the accommodating space. The independently provided porous injection area guides the solidification mixture outwards and forms an independent flow channel for the static mixing nozzle. The mixing drive mechanism is fixedly disposed within the accommodating space and positioned near the other end of the penetrating shell. Multiple storage cylinders are arranged side-by-side along the axial direction of the penetrating shell. One end of a piston structure is embedded in the corresponding storage cylinder's end port and slidably seals with the internal cavity of the storage cylinder. The other ends of the multiple piston structures are connected to the drive end of the mixing drive mechanism, used to drive the piston structure to move within the storage cylinder along the end away from the mixing drive mechanism, thus... The mixing drive mechanism synchronously drives multiple piston structures to ensure that different reagents are stably pushed in a preset ratio. Each storage cylinder has a ruptureable metal membrane sealed at its other end to prevent premature leakage or reaction of the reagents inside. This ruptureable metal membrane achieves sealed storage of the reagents within the storage cylinder, adapting to the storage requirements of the lunar vacuum and low-temperature environment. During storage and flight, the ruptureable metal membrane completely seals the chemical components within the cavity, preventing them from entering the mixing zone and reacting or volatilizing. When the push rod pushes the piston, causing the pressure inside the storage cylinder to exceed the membrane's yield strength, the membrane ruptures, allowing the reagent fluid inside the storage cylinder to flow into the static mixing nozzle. The inlet end of the static mixing nozzle is fixedly connected to the other end of multiple storage cylinders, and the outlet end of the static mixing nozzle is sealed and connected to the porous injection area. The static mixing nozzle is used to mix multi-component reagents before injecting them into the rock wall, improving the solidification effect. An anchoring structure is located at one end of the penetrating shell and is triggered when the penetrating shell impacts the target rock wall, forming a mechanical engagement with the rock pores and fissures inside the rock wall to prevent capsule displacement during sampling. This application achieves in-situ solidification of loose media within the target rock mass and recovers it as a monolithic sample block. This effectively preserves the physical integrity, microstructural characteristics, and key geological background information of the sample under vacuum, high radiation, and extreme temperature conditions, providing a high-fidelity sample for subsequent scientific analysis. It solves the technical problems of limited sampling range, low sample fidelity, high operational risk, and insufficient recovery reliability in the special lunar environment of existing technologies, and improves the sampling capability for steep rock walls and internal rock wall profiles.

[0017] The above description is merely an overview of the technical solution of the present invention. In order to better understand the technical means of the present invention and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and in order to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments of the present invention are described below. Attached Figure Description

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this specification or the prior art, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an in-situ solidification sampling capsule for the rock wall of a lunar lava tube, provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the spring-locked state provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the spring release state provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure provided by an embodiment of the present invention, showing a micro-barbs pressed against the surface of a penetrating shell; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the unfolded micro-barbs provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure label: 1. Penetrating shell; 11. Flow guide cavity; 12. Flow guide hole; 2. Mixing drive mechanism; 21. Control module; 22. Shape memory alloy; 221. Fixing part; 222. Connecting part; 223. Locking pin; 23. Push rod; 24. Spring; 31. Curing agent storage cylinder; 32. Crosslinking agent storage cylinder; 33. Catalyst storage cylinder; 34. Piston structure; 341. Piston body; 342. Connecting rod; 35. Ruptureable metal film; 4. Static mixing nozzle; 41. Central shaft; 42. Spiral blade; 5. Anchoring structure; 51. Micro barb; 52. Pressing structure; 6. Retrieval rope; 7. Rock wall. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0022] Example 1 Please see Figure 1-5 This embodiment provides an in-situ solidification sampling capsule for the wall of a lunar lava tube. The sampling capsule includes: a penetrating shell 1, a mixing drive mechanism 2, multiple storage cylinders with piston structures 34, a static mixing nozzle 4, and an anchoring structure 5. The penetrating shell 1 has an accommodating space, one end of which has a bullet-shaped structure. A porous injection area is provided in the middle of the penetrating shell 1, which is connected to the external environment but independent of the accommodating space. The mixing drive mechanism 2 is fixedly disposed within the accommodating space and positioned near the other end of the penetrating shell 1. Multiple storage cylinders are arranged side-by-side along the axial direction of the penetrating shell 1, and one end of a piston structure 34 is embedded at one end port of the corresponding storage cylinder. The internal cavity of the storage cylinder is slidably sealed and fitted. The other end of each of the multiple piston structures 34 is connected to the drive end of the mixing drive mechanism 2, which is used to drive the piston structure 34 to move in the storage cylinder along the end away from the mixing drive mechanism 2. A ruptureable metal film is sealed at the other end of each storage cylinder to seal the reagent in the storage cylinder to prevent premature leakage or reaction. The inlet end of the static mixing nozzle 4 is fixedly connected to the other end of the multiple storage cylinders, and the outlet end of the static mixing nozzle 4 is sealed and connected to the porous injection area. The anchoring structure 5 is set at one end of the penetrating shell 1 and is triggered when the penetrating shell 1 hits the target rock wall to form a mechanical engagement with the rock pores and fissures inside the rock wall.

[0023] Specifically, the bullet-shaped penetrating shell 1 reduces resistance and improves impact stability when impacting the rock wall, ensuring the capsule is accurately embedded in the target area; the independently set porous injection area guides the solidified mixture to the outside and forms an independent flow channel for the static mixing nozzle 4; the mixing drive mechanism 2 synchronously drives multiple piston structures 34 to ensure that different reagents are stably pushed according to a preset ratio; the ruptureable metal film achieves sealed storage of reagents in the storage cylinder, adapting to the storage requirements of the lunar vacuum and low temperature environment. During storage and flight, the ruptureable metal film completely seals the chemical components in the cavity, preventing them from entering the mixing zone and reacting or volatilizing. When the push rod 23 pushes the piston, causing the pressure in the storage cylinder to exceed the yield strength of the film, the film will rupture, and the reagent fluid in the storage cylinder will flow into the static mixing nozzle 4; the static mixing nozzle 4 is used to mix multi-component reagents before injecting them into the rock wall, improving the solidification effect; the anchoring structure 5 uses mechanical interlocking to firmly fix the capsule to the rock wall, preventing the capsule from shifting during sampling. This application achieves in-situ solidification of loose media within the target rock mass and recovers it as a monolithic sample block. This effectively preserves the physical integrity, microstructural characteristics, and key geological background information of the sample under vacuum, high radiation, and extreme temperature conditions, providing a high-fidelity sample for subsequent scientific analysis. It solves the technical problems of limited sampling range, low sample fidelity, high operational risk, and insufficient recovery reliability in the special lunar environment of existing technologies, and improves the sampling capability for steep rock walls and internal rock wall profiles.

[0024] The penetrating shell 1 can be made of high-strength, low-temperature resistant, and impact-resistant metal or alloy materials. It is a rigid, hollow shell, and can be made of titanium alloy. The projectile-shaped structure has a pointed tip with enhanced penetrating power at its front end. Specifically, a pointed penetrating head with a cone angle of 30°–45° can be set at the front end of the projectile-shaped structure to break through the weathered basalt or fractured rock mass on the surface of the lava tube's inner wall. The thickness of the ruptureable metal film can be set to 50–150 μm, remaining intact before being triggered by external force.

[0025] Upon receiving a preset trigger signal, the mixing drive mechanism 2 forces the chemical components in the storage cylinder to be released and transported to the static mixing nozzle 4. After mixing, the mixture is radially injected into the target rock mass through the porous injection zone penetrating the shell 1. Considering that the basalt inside the lava tube is mostly formed by the cooling of volcanic melt, it naturally possesses a certain porous structure and microfracture network. This injection method can effectively utilize its porous characteristics to achieve the penetration, diffusion, and anchoring of the curing agent. Through a multi-point, zoned injection strategy, the curing coverage and uniformity can be further improved, enhancing the overall strength of the final sample block.

[0026] In some possible implementations, the porous injection area of ​​this application includes a flow guiding cavity 11, a plurality of flow guiding holes 12, and a one-way check valve adapted to the number of flow guiding holes 12; the plurality of flow guiding holes 12 are radially spaced and evenly opened in the middle region of the penetrating shell 1 and penetrate the side wall of the penetrating shell 1; the interior of the penetrating shell 1 is provided with a flow guiding cavity 11 connected to the flow guiding holes 12 in the corresponding middle region; the flow guiding cavity 11 is arranged around the accommodating space and is independent of the accommodating space; the outlet end of the static mixing nozzle 4 is fixedly connected to the flow guiding cavity 11 through a sealed pipe; a one-way check valve is fixedly installed at the inner port of each flow guiding hole 12; the conduction direction of the one-way check valve is from the flow guiding cavity 11 to the external rock wall, which is used to prevent external rock wall debris, dust and other substances from entering the porous injection area, and at the same time prevent the solidified mixture in the flow guiding cavity 11 from flowing back to the static mixing nozzle 4 or the accommodating space.

[0027] Specifically, the uniform dispersion of the curing agent is achieved through the coordinated design of the flow guiding cavity 11 and the flow guiding holes 12. Several radially evenly distributed flow guiding holes 12 ensure that the agent penetrates into the pores and fissures of the rock wall in all directions, thereby increasing the curing coverage. The pore size, porosity, and spatial distribution of the flow guiding holes 12 can be optimized through mechanical and fluid simulations to ensure uniform and controllable radial penetration of the curing agent within the target area. A one-way check valve is installed at the flow guiding holes 12 to prevent external rock debris, dust, and other substances from entering the porous injection area, while also preventing the curing agent in the flow guiding cavity 11 from flowing back to the static mixing nozzle 4 or the accommodating space.

[0028] Furthermore, the flow guiding cavity 11 can be a relatively narrow annular cavity, such that the total volume of the flow guiding cavity 11 and the static mixing nozzle 4 is less than the sum of the volumes of the multiple storage cylinders, and at least less than one-third of the sum of the volumes of the multiple storage cylinders, so as to allow enough solidifying agent to be guided into the target rock mass, thereby further improving the solidification effect on the rock mass.

[0029] As one possible approach, 16 radial guide holes 12 can be uniformly arranged circumferentially in the central region of the penetrating shell 1, with a single hole diameter of 0.5 to 1.2 mm and a hole spacing of 5 to 10 mm, forming a porous injection zone.

[0030] In some possible implementations, the hybrid drive mechanism 2 includes: a control module 21, a shape memory alloy 22, a push rod 23, and a spring 24; the control module 21 is fixed within the accommodating space and disposed near the other end penetrating the housing 1; the shape memory alloy 22 is electrically connected to the control module 21; the fixing part of the shape memory alloy 22 is fixedly disposed within the accommodating space and disposed near the control module 21, and a locking pin is fixedly connected to the connecting part of the shape memory alloy 22 at the end away from the fixing part; the push rod 23 is disposed along the axial direction penetrating the housing 1, and its A limiting hole adapted to the locking pin is opened on the side wall corresponding to the end near the shape memory alloy 22. The locking pin can be inserted into the limiting hole. The spring 24 is fixedly connected between the fixed part of the shape memory alloy 22 and the push rod 23. The spring 24 is in a pre-compressed state. The end of the push rod 23 away from the spring 24 is connected to multiple piston structures 34 for synchronously pushing multiple piston structures 34. When the shape memory alloy 22 is energized and heat-shrinks, it drives the locking pin to be pulled out from the limiting hole, and the spring 24 releases its elastic force to drive the push rod 23 to move axially.

[0031] The control module 21 is used to receive external trigger signals. When the trigger signal is confirmed, the control module 21 connects its high-current circuit to deliver electrical energy to the shape memory alloy 22 to heat it.

[0032] Specifically, the hybrid drive mechanism 2 uses a combination of shape memory alloy 22 and pre-compression spring 24 to drive the piston structure 34. The control module 21 provides precise electrical control of the shape memory alloy 22. Upon energization, the shape memory alloy 22 contracts due to heat, causing the locking pin to disengage from the limiting hole. The pre-compression spring 24 then instantly releases its elasticity, driving the push rod 23 to move axially. This eliminates the need for complex power transmission components, enabling synchronous pushing of the piston structure 34 and meeting the lightweight and miniaturized design requirements of the lunar sampling capsule. The insertion and removal of the locking pin and the limiting hole ensure reliable locking and unlocking of the drive mechanism. The elasticity of the pre-compression spring 24 must guarantee sufficient power for the push rod 23 to move, ensuring that the piston structure 34 can overcome the resistance of the reagent in the storage cylinder and completely push the reagent to the static mixing nozzle 4. This overall drive method eliminates the need for hydraulic or pneumatic auxiliary systems, adapting to the unique environment of the moon—a region without atmosphere and with low gravity—and improving the stability and environmental adaptability of the drive mechanism.

[0033] In some possible implementations, each piston structure 34 includes an integrally formed piston body 341 and a connecting rod 342. The piston body 341 is fixedly disposed at one end of the connecting rod 342. The piston body 341 is coaxially slidably engaged with the inner wall of the corresponding storage cylinder and maintains a sealed engagement with the inner wall of the storage cylinder during sliding. The other end of the connecting rod 342 is fixedly connected to the end of the push rod 23 away from the spring 24, so as to synchronously drive the piston structure 34 to slide along the axial direction of the storage cylinder through the axial movement of the push rod 23.

[0034] Specifically, a sealing element is provided on the outer peripheral wall of the piston body 341, forming a slidable sealing fit with the inner side wall of the storage cylinder, and maintaining a sealed state throughout the sliding process to prevent reagent leakage from the storage cylinder; the fixed connection between the connecting rod 342 and the push rod 23 enables the synchronous linkage of multiple piston structures 34, ensuring that the reagents in each storage cylinder are output synchronously according to the preset ratio, avoiding mixing ratio deviations caused by inconsistent pushing speeds, and improving the mixing accuracy of the solidified mixture; the integrated design of the piston structure 34 reduces the fitting gap between components, reducing the risk of gas leakage in the lunar vacuum environment, while the sealed fit during the sliding process ensures stable transmission of pushing pressure, providing a guarantee for efficient reagent delivery.

[0035] In some possible implementations, the anchoring structure includes: a plurality of micro-barbs and a pressing structure adapted to the number of micro-barbs; the plurality of micro-barbs are uniformly arranged circumferentially on the outer side wall of one end of the penetrating shell 1, the micro-barbs being made of highly elastic metal and having outwardly expanding prestress; used to press the micro-barbs against the surface of the penetrating shell 1, when the sampling capsule impacts the rock wall, the pressing structure detaches from the micro-barbs and the penetrating shell 1, and the micro-barbs unfold and embed into the pore structure of the rock mass. Figure 1 The diagram shown is a schematic of the micro-barbs after they have opened.

[0036] Specifically, the anchoring structure of this application employs micro-barbs made of highly elastic metal, whose outward-spreading prestressed design provides the basic power for anchoring. Before the capsule impacts the rock wall, the pressing structure presses the micro-barbs onto the shell surface, reducing air resistance during impact and ensuring the capsule's smooth embedding into the rock wall. After impact, the pressing structure detaches, and the micro-barbs, under prestress, rapidly unfold and embed into the rock's pore structure, forming a strong mechanical engagement. Several micro-barbs evenly distributed circumferentially ensure a uniform distribution of anchoring force, avoiding the problem of capsule detachment caused by uneven local stress. The choice of highly elastic metal material gives the micro-barbs excellent deformation capacity and toughness, enabling them to adapt to the irregular shape of the rock wall pores and improve the stability of the mechanical engagement. Even in the complex and unevenly strong environment of lunar lava tube rock walls, reliable anchoring can be achieved, providing a stable support foundation for subsequent solidification sampling.

[0037] Specifically, the pressing structure can be an inertial sliding sleeve fitted on the outside of the micro barbs. The inertial sliding sleeve is fixed to the penetrating shell 1 by shear pins or friction, and is used to press the micro barbs onto the surface of the penetrating shell 1. When the sampling capsule hits the rock wall, the inertial sliding sleeve detaches from the micro barbs and the penetrating shell 1 under inertia, and the micro barbs unfold and embed into the pore structure of the rock mass.

[0038] in, Figure 1A schematic diagram showing the deployment of the micro-barbs of the in-situ solidified sampling capsule and the spring in a compressed state is shown. Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a spring in a compressed state is shown. Figure 3 A schematic diagram showing the spring in the released state is shown. Figure 4 A schematic diagram showing the micro-barbs in a compressed state is shown. Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the micro-barbs in the deployed state is shown. In actual use, during launch, the micro-barbs of the sampling capsule are in a compressed state, and the spring is in a compressed state. When the sampling capsule collides with the rock wall, the compressed structure (inertial sliding sleeve) is subjected to a large inertial force and breaks free from the shear pin, sliding off the micro-barbs. At this time, the micro-barbs deploy and embed into the pore structure of the rock mass. Simultaneously, after receiving the trigger signal, the control module energizes the shape memory alloy to release the spring.

[0039] In some possible implementations, the number of storage cylinders is set to three, namely a curing agent storage cylinder 31, a crosslinking agent storage cylinder 32, and a catalyst storage cylinder 33. The curing agent storage cylinder 31 is used to store curing agent monomers, the crosslinking agent storage cylinder 32 is used to store anhydrous amine crosslinking agents, and the catalyst storage cylinder 33 is used to store latent catalysts.

[0040] The curing agent monomer can be selected from those with good chemical compatibility with lunar soil and basaltic rocks. Specifically, it can be a space-grade low-volatile epoxy resin system or anhydrous silicate-based precursor. This type of curing agent can complete the curing process through internal polymerization, cross-linking, or activation reactions under conditions without external oxygen, moisture, or atmosphere, making it suitable for atmospheric environments such as the moon. It can be understood that the selected curing agent system can undergo polymerization reactions within the range of -60 to 20°C and complete curing under oxygen- and water-free conditions, forming a high-strength, low-shrinkage solid composite after curing.

[0041] In some possible implementations, each storage cylinder consists of a hollow rigid cylinder and a protective liner. The protective liner is fixedly installed on the inner wall of the rigid cylinder and is made of a flexible fluoropolymer material, which can maintain good sealing and chemical stability in vacuum and low temperature environments.

[0042] The storage container of this application adopts a composite structure of a rigid cylindrical body and a protective liner. The rigid cylindrical body provides excellent structural support, protecting the internal reagents from external damage. The flexible nature of the protective liner allows it to fit tightly against the inner wall of the rigid cylindrical body, eliminating sealing risks caused by gaps and adapting to the storage requirements of the reagents inside the container. Because the flexible fluoropolymer material maintains good sealing performance and chemical stability in vacuum and -180°C environments, it will not become brittle or crack in the lunar vacuum and low-temperature environment, effectively preventing reagent leakage and avoiding chemical reactions between the reagents and the container, thus ensuring reagent purity. This composite structure design balances the structural strength and sealing performance of the storage container, solving the technical problem that traditional single-material storage containers cannot simultaneously adapt to the lunar vacuum, low temperature, and strong radiation environment, extending the storage life of the reagents and improving the environmental adaptability of the sampling capsule.

[0043] In some possible implementations, a mixing structure is provided inside the static mixing nozzle 4. The mixing structure includes a central shaft 41 and a spiral blade 42. The central shaft 41 is fixedly arranged along the axial direction of the static mixing nozzle 4. The spiral blade 42 is sleeved on the central shaft 41 and is rotatably connected to the central shaft 41 without damping, so as to achieve full mixing of the curing agent through fluid shearing and segmentation.

[0044] Specifically, when multi-component reagents flow through the mixing nozzle, the impact force of the fluid drives the spiral blades 42 to rotate. Through shearing, segmentation, and stirring, the different reagents are thoroughly mixed. Compared with traditional static mixing structures, this results in higher mixing efficiency and better mixing uniformity. The central shaft 41 is fixed along the nozzle axis to ensure the stability of the spiral blades 42's rotation and avoid uneven mixing caused by blade misalignment. The mixing structure design requires no additional power drive, relying on the reagent flow itself to achieve mixing, simplifying the device structure and adapting to the lightweight design requirements of sampling capsules.

[0045] Upon receiving an electrical trigger signal from the lunar rover, the shape memory alloy 22 is energized and heated to shrink, pushing the push rod 23 forward. Simultaneously, it punctures the isolation film of the storage cylinder and forces the three chemical components into the static mixing nozzle 4 to complete the mixing. Under this pressure, the mixture is then radially injected into the target rock mass through the porous injection zone.

[0046] In some possible implementations, a retrieval interface is provided at the other end of the housing 1 for fixed connection with the retrieval rope 6.

[0047] Specifically, a retrieval interface is provided at the other end of the penetrating shell 1, enabling convenient retrieval of the sampling capsule through a fixed connection with the retrieval rope 6. The lunar lava tube environment is complex; after sampling, the capsule containing solidified rock wall samples needs to be retrieved to the lunar rover. The retrieval interface provides a stable connection point for the retrieval rope 6, ensuring a secure connection between the capsule and the rope during retrieval and preventing loss. Through the cooperation of the retrieval rope 6 and the lunar rover, precise retrieval of the sampling capsule can be achieved without additional complex retrieval equipment, reducing the complexity and cost of lunar sampling missions and improving their integrity and efficiency. The lunar rover is equipped with a catapult mechanism to launch the sampling capsule at a preset, controllable speed and angle onto the target rock wall. One end of the retrieval rope 6 is fixedly connected to the retrieval interface, while the other end can be connected to the lunar rover or the catapult mechanism.

[0048] The following describes the implementation process of in-situ solidification sampling using sampling capsules: (1) Sampling point selection The lunar rover scanned the inner wall of the lava tube using its onboard lidar and visible and near-infrared imaging system, and selected a basalt area with exposed layered structure and obvious pores or microcracks as the target rock wall. (2) Aiming and firing The lunar rover stabilizes its attitude at a distance of 3–6 m from the target rock wall, and then uses a catapult mechanism to launch the sampling capsule connected to the recovery rope to the target rock wall with an initial velocity of about 15–30 m / s. (3) Penetration and Anchoring After the sampling capsule impacts the rock wall, its tip penetrates the surface layer by about 20 to 50 mm. The micro-barbs automatically unfold and embed into the pore structure of the rock mass, making the capsule stably fixed to the rock wall. Specifically, the capsule penetrates the weathered layer or loose and broken rock mass on the surface of the rock wall with preset kinetic energy. After impact, its micro-barb structure unfolds and embeds into the interior of the rock mass, achieving temporary but reliable anchoring and providing stable boundary conditions for subsequent solidification injection.

[0049] (4) In-situ injection and curing After confirming the capsule's stable anchoring, the lunar rover sends a trigger signal to activate the hybrid drive mechanism. The solidifying agent seeps into the pore and fracture network surrounding the rock mass through radial guide holes, gradually undergoing a polymerization reaction under vacuum and low-temperature conditions. (5) In-situ curing The curing process is completed within a preset time, ultimately forming a "rock and soil material-curing agent composite" sample that is highly integrated with the surrounding rock and soil materials and firmly connected to the sampling capsule. Specifically, the capsule can be left in place for 2-3 hours to allow the curing agent to complete curing and consolidate the surrounding loose basalt particles and pore structure, forming a composite sample block that is firmly integrated with the sampling capsule. (6) Sample recovery The lunar rover applies gradually increasing tension via a recovery rope, supplemented by low-amplitude mechanical vibrations when necessary, to separate the solidified composite sample block from the parent rock along natural fissures. Finally, the sample block, along with the sampling capsule, is recovered as a whole and stored in a sealed sample container.

[0050] Compared with existing technologies, this invention has at least the following significant advantages: First, it proposes and implements a novel sampling technology route of "first fixing in situ, then recovering as a whole," overcoming the limitations of traditional direct scraping, drilling, or blowing sampling methods in loose media and complex terrains. Second, it eliminates the need for lunar rovers or robotic arms to climb or approach rock walls; sampling can be completed via remote launch and self-anchoring structures, significantly reducing operational risks and system complexity, and significantly increasing the success rate of missions on loose weathered layers and fractured rock surfaces. Third, by radially injecting a solidifying agent, the surrounding loose media is transformed into a recyclable sample block, preserving the original geological structure, particle arrangement, and spatial information to the maximum extent, significantly enhancing the scientific research value of the sample. Fourth, this method can achieve efficient, uniform, and controllable solidification reactions in extreme environments such as vacuum and low temperatures, without relying on external atmospheric conditions, thus significantly expanding the applicability of sampleable geological environments, especially suitable for complex terrains that are difficult to cover with traditional technologies, such as the inner walls of lunar lava tubes and steep rock walls.

[0051] Example 2 The present invention also provides an in-situ solidification sampling system for the rock wall of a lunar lava tube, the sampling system comprising: The system includes a retrieval rope, a lunar rover equipped with a launch mechanism, and an in-situ solidification sampling capsule for the lunar lava tube wall as described in Example 1. One end of the retrieval rope is fixedly connected to the retrieval interface of the sampling capsule, and the other end is fixedly connected to the launch mechanism of the lunar rover. The launch mechanism is used to launch the sampling capsule to the target rock wall at a preset controllable speed and angle.

[0052] Specifically, the in-situ solidification sampling system constructed in this embodiment achieves a systematic operation of sampling the lunar lava tube wall through the coordinated operation of the lunar rover, ejection mechanism, recovery rope, and sampling capsule. The lunar rover, serving as a platform, provides stable support for the ejection mechanism and recovery rope, and can flexibly move to the target sampling area. The ejection mechanism can launch the sampling capsule at a preset controllable speed and angle, ensuring that the capsule accurately impacts and embeds itself into the target rock wall, avoiding sampling failure due to deviations in launch parameters. The recovery rope connects the sampling capsule to the lunar rover, enabling the safe recovery of the capsule after sampling, forming a closed-loop process of "launch, sampling, and recovery."

[0053] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are merely specific implementations of the present invention, used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit it. The scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that any person skilled in the art can still modify or easily conceive of changes to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention, or make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features; and these modifications, changes, or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention. All should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope of the claims.

[0054] Although embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed above, they are not limited to the applications listed in the specification and embodiments. They can be applied to various fields suitable for the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other modifications can be easily made. Therefore, without departing from the general concept defined by the claims and their equivalents, the present invention is not limited to the specific details and illustrations shown and described herein.

Claims

1. An in-situ solidification sampling capsule for use on the rock walls of lunar lava tubes, characterized in that, The sampling capsule includes: The device has a penetrating shell with an accommodating space inside. One end of the penetrating shell has a bullet-shaped structure, and a porous injection area is provided in the middle of the penetrating shell. The porous injection area is connected to the external environment and is independent of the accommodating space. A hybrid drive mechanism is fixedly disposed within the accommodating space and located near the other end of the penetrating housing; Multiple storage cylinders with piston structures are arranged side-by-side along the axis of the penetrating shell. One end of each piston structure is embedded in the end port of a corresponding storage cylinder and slidably and sealingly engages with the internal cavity of the storage cylinder. The other ends of the multiple piston structures are connected to the drive end of the mixing drive mechanism, for driving the piston structure to move within the storage cylinder along the end away from the mixing drive mechanism. A ruptureable metal film is sealed at the other end port of each storage cylinder to seal the reagent inside the storage cylinder to prevent premature leakage or reaction. A static mixing nozzle, wherein the inlet end of the static mixing nozzle is fixedly connected to the other end of the plurality of storage cylinders, and the outlet end of the static mixing nozzle is sealed and connected to the porous injection area; An anchoring structure is provided at one end of the penetrating shell and is used to be triggered when the penetrating shell impacts the target rock wall, forming a mechanical engagement with the rock pores and fissures inside the rock wall.

2. The in-situ solidification sampling capsule for lunar lava tube walls as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The porous injection zone includes a flow guiding cavity, a plurality of flow guiding holes, and a one-way check valve adapted to the number of flow guiding holes. The plurality of flow guiding holes are radially spaced and evenly distributed in the central region of the penetrating shell and penetrate the side wall of the penetrating shell. The flow guiding cavity, which is connected to the flow guiding holes, is provided inside the penetrating shell in the central region. The flow guiding cavity is arranged around the accommodating space and is independent of the accommodating space. The outlet end of the static mixing nozzle is fixedly connected to the flow guiding cavity through a sealed pipe. A one-way check valve is fixedly installed at the inner port of each flow guiding hole. The conduction direction of the one-way check valve is from the flow guiding cavity to the external rock wall, which is used to prevent external rock wall debris, dust and other substances from entering the porous injection zone, and at the same time prevent the solidified mixture in the flow guiding cavity from flowing back to the static mixing nozzle or the accommodating space.

3. The in-situ solidification sampling capsule for lunar lava tube walls as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The hybrid drive mechanism includes: A control module, which is fixed within the accommodating space and disposed near the other end of the penetrating housing; A shape memory alloy is electrically connected to the control module; the fixing part of the shape memory alloy is fixedly disposed in the accommodating space and arranged close to the control module, and a locking pin is fixedly connected to the end of the connecting part of the shape memory alloy away from the fixing part. A push rod and a spring are provided. The push rod is arranged along the axis of the penetrating housing, and its side wall has a limiting hole adapted to a locking pin at the end near the shape memory alloy. The locking pin is pluggably inserted into the limiting hole. The spring is fixedly connected between the fixing part of the shape memory alloy and the push rod, and the spring is in a pre-compressed state. The end of the push rod away from the spring is connected to multiple piston structures for synchronously pushing multiple piston structures. When the shape memory alloy is energized and heated to shrink, it causes the locking pin to be pulled out of the limiting hole, and the spring releases its elastic force to drive the push rod to move axially.

4. The in-situ solidification sampling capsule for lunar lava tube walls as described in claim 3, characterized in that, Each piston structure includes an integrally formed piston body and a connecting rod. The piston body is fixedly disposed at one end of the connecting rod. The piston body is coaxially slidably engaged with the inner wall of the corresponding storage cylinder and maintains a sealed engagement with the inner wall of the storage cylinder during sliding. The other end of the connecting rod is fixedly connected to the end of the push rod away from the spring, so as to synchronously drive the piston structure to slide along the axial direction of the storage cylinder through the axial movement of the push rod.

5. The in-situ solidification sampling capsule for lunar lava tube walls as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The anchoring structure includes: A number of micro barbs are evenly arranged circumferentially on the outer side wall of one end of the penetrating shell. The micro barbs are made of highly elastic metal and have outwardly opening prestress. A pressing structure adapted to the number of micro-barbs is used to press the micro-barbs against the surface of the penetrating shell. When the sampling capsule impacts the rock wall, the pressing structure detaches from the micro-barbs and the penetrating shell, and the micro-barbs unfold and embed into the pore structure of the rock mass.

6. The in-situ solidification sampling capsule for lunar lava tube walls as described in claim 5, characterized in that: The number of storage cylinders is set to three, namely a curing agent storage cylinder, a crosslinking agent storage cylinder, and a catalyst storage cylinder. The curing agent storage cylinder is used to store curing agent monomers, the crosslinking agent storage cylinder is used to store anhydrous amine crosslinking agents, and the catalyst storage cylinder is used to store latent catalysts.

7. The in-situ solidification sampling capsule for lunar lava tube walls as described in claim 6, characterized in that: Each of the storage cylinders consists of a hollow rigid cylinder and a protective liner. The protective liner is fixedly installed on the inner wall of the rigid cylinder and is made of a flexible fluoropolymer material, which can maintain good sealing performance and chemical stability in vacuum and low temperature environments.

8. The in-situ solidification sampling capsule for lunar lava tube walls as described in claim 7, characterized in that: The static mixing nozzle is provided with a mixing structure, which includes a central shaft and a spiral blade. The central shaft is fixedly arranged along the axial direction of the static mixing nozzle. The spiral blade is sleeved on the central shaft and is rotatably connected to the central shaft without damping, so as to achieve full mixing of the curing agent through fluid shearing and segmentation.

9. The in-situ solidification sampling capsule for lunar lava tube walls as described in claim 1 or 8, characterized in that: The other end of the penetrating shell is provided with a retrieval interface for fixed connection with the retrieval rope.

10. An in-situ solidification sampling system for the rock walls of lunar lava tubes, characterized in that, The sampling system includes: The retrieval rope, the lunar rover equipped with a catapult mechanism, and the in-situ solidification sampling capsule for the lunar lava tube wall as described in any one of claims 1-9; one end of the retrieval rope is fixedly connected to the retrieval interface of the sampling capsule, and the other end is fixedly connected to the catapult mechanism of the lunar rover, the catapult mechanism being used to launch the sampling capsule to the target rock wall at a preset controllable speed and angle.

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