NASA Regolith Intake Design

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This innovative design features strategically placed "teeth" in front of the scoop portion, enabling efficient digging and sorting of large regolith pieces based on size. The sorting capacity can be adjusted by adjusting the spacing between the teeth. The design incorporates six sections of teeth and scoops revolving around a 385mm circumference. The scoops meet at the maximum diameter point (visible in the fourth image), while the teeth are positioned about 5mm away from this point, allowing for maximum volume accumulation. The total volume exceeds 18 liters. Regolith can be captured and filled within the entire cavity due to internal panels that prevent escape. These panels are designed to spring-load and open when the reverse centripetal force is applied, releasing regolith for removal, while the forward centripetal force keeps the regolith inside. Note that some space must be left in the container for panel installation, but they can be shortened to accommodate varying design requirements. The width of a single container measures 119mm, contributing to an overall intake size of approximately 360mm. For optimal performance, the cylinders are rotated 22.5 degrees out of phase with each other. The walls are constructed at a thickness of 5mm, rendering a titanium body both lightweight and sufficiently strong. This design would be most effectively manufactured through 3D printing, although it could still be viable without this method.