Carbon Fiber Drill Box for the ExoMars Rover

The challenge

The project involved the structural analysis of the drill box, including both the composite outer enclosure and the internal mechanical components. The assembly was verified under the full range of mission load cases, including static loads associated with landing and drill operation, as well as dynamic launch loads represented by Power Spectral Density (PSD) acceleration spectra.

Our contribution

Throughout the project, we worked closely with both the mechanical design team and the composite manufacturing specialists to optimize the laminate lay-up and achieve the required structural performance while meeting mission requirements.

The drill box prototype was successfully validated through vibration testing on a shaker table. The experimental results showed excellent agreement with the finite element analysis (FEA) predictions, confirming the accuracy of the numerical model and the effectiveness of the design.

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