DREAM

DRilling Experiment for Asteroid Mining

TIME HORIZON

2016-2017

Everyone has to start somewhere. We started our space adventure by working on the DREAM project, implemented by Wrocław University of Science and Technology as a part of the REXUS/BEXUS (Rocket/Ballon Experiment for University Students) program organized by the European Space Agency in cooperation with the Swedish National Space Council (SNSB) and German Space Agency.

Project goals

To explore the drilling process in microgravity and vacuum conditions prevailing in Space. The main difference between this mission and missions carried by CBK PAN (Centrum of the Space Exploration Polish Science Academy) is that the whole experiment was conducted in Space conditions, and samples weren’t collected for further research in a laboratory on Earth.

Study of the behavior of drill cuttings under vacuum and non-gravity conditions

Analysis of the influence of drill bit geometry on the spatial distribution of drill cuttings

Observation of drilling process

Validation of the vision system for drilling process control

Project results

Custom designed drilling tool

Measurement chamber

Vision system to observe the experiment

Successful experiment and set of results

Experience gained by working with ESA engineers