Prototype Design of Wire-Sawing Machine for Preliminary Experiments to Lunar and Planetary Exploration

Abstract

This paper describes design of a prototype of a wire-sawing machine and some machining demonstrations. Slicing the rock samples is preferable to observe their interior for in-situ analysis in lunar and planetary explorations. The requirements for the wire-sawing machine were clarified as follows: using a long saw wire to extend the duty cycle, and winding and unwinding the saw wire with two reels. After building a prototype of the wire-sawing machine, the cutting performance in vacuum was compared with that in air. The cutting depth in vacuum leveled off and was smaller than that in air.