Drilling for Water - Starting with a probe, not an ERV

C M Edwards · 2004-04-06 12:01:07

What about an unmanned stationary probe to drill for water in likely spots?

Drilling to the depths necessary to reach even the highest expected water table on Mars is likely to be a very complicated endeavor. The sandy surface layers expected will require pressurizing a wet bore hole to keep the bore hole from collapsing and trapping the shaft during drilling, which will in turn require bringing something to wet the borehole with. All known drilling methods (including the use of sonic bits) require moving parts and lots of power. The depths expected will require a long shaft, which must be stowed and deployed by an automated probe. Everything coming out of the >100m bore hole (at least a ton of sand, rock fines, and wetting agent for every 100m) must be processed and exhausted by the drilling rig without getting it covered in the stuff. Everything coming out of the bore hole must be analyzed, in at least a cursory fashion, to monitor the drilling progress.

That's probably at least a half-ton of wetting agent, drilling rig and other systems sent to Mars for a single borehole. Taken altogether, none of that is particularly worthwhile for geological prospecting when all one has to do is find a spot where the rocks you want happen to be exposed right at the surface. Mars is an entire planet, and you should be able to find exposed native rock somewhere on it. I also do not regard the search for extraterrestrial life to be sufficient justification for such an undertaking, since the probability of successful detection would be low without striking water, and the sampling methods needed to look for biological activity amid a ton of dessicated rock fines would hinder the drilling. A deep drilling rig would only be worthwhile if, in addition to all the requirements mentioned above, another arbitrary requirement were imposed:

If it finds water, the probe must leave the well in suitable condition for later use, and remain usable for any necessary redrilling or reconditioning.

I believe that the only rational justification for sending a probe capable of drilling deeper than 100m is to scout out water for use in manned exploration. I also believe that it will be an eventual necessity, and should probably even precede the first manned excursion along with the ERV. That way, the first crews on Mars can re-use the drilling rig upon their arrival.

I also think it would look better not to have the first thing we send to our Mars base be the escape pod.

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#1 2004-04-06 12:01:07

Re: Drilling for Water - Starting with a probe, not an ERV

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