Rock Abrasion Tool for Mars Exploration

The Rock Abrasion Tool, nicknamed "the RAT", is the first machine ever to gain interior access to rocks on Mars. Designed and developed by @HoneybeeRoboticsLtd for NASA's Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, the RAT is a form of space drill that uses grinding wheels of diamond dust and resin to abrade the surface of Martian rocks. It has a pair of actuators that power the bit and the brushes, and the orbital rotation is on the outside rim, creating the characteristic 45mm diameter circle shape that forms on the surface of the drilled rocks. The ultimate goal of the instrument is to expose the rock’s interior to further examine its actual composition. Honeybee Robotics also operates the RAT via remote control instructions from a director on Earth. To date, the RATs have completed hundreds of grinds, and the unit on Opportunity remains fully operational over a decade after the rover landed.