PlanetVac Pneumatic Surface Sampling System
Description
Honeybee Robotics (acquired by Blue Origin in 2022) is a US company specializing in robotic systems and tools for planetary exploration, in-situ resource utilization (ISRU), and space mining applications. The company's flagship planetary technology includes the Rock Abrasion Tool (RAT) flown on the Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity (2004) — the first tool to grind into a rock on another planet — and the Sample Acquisition System for the MOMA/MSR mission. Honeybee's PlanetVac technology is a pneumatic surface sample collection system designed for fast-touch-and-go sampling of asteroid or planetary surfaces: when a lander touches down, a burst of gas fluidizes and lifts regolith into a sample canister — eliminating the need for moving parts or drills. PlanetVac was tested on the Masten Xodiac vehicle at Mojave Air and Space Port in 2018 in a simulated lunar surface test funded by NASA. Honeybee also develops the World Is Not Enough (WINE) water mining drill for in-situ propellant production from ice deposits on the Moon, Mars, and asteroids.