Manipulator system of the sampling complex of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phobos-Grunt</Emphasis> spacecraft

This paper is devoted to the problem of sampling with the use of a manipulator during the mission of the Phobos-Grunt spacecraft. The principle of operation accepted for the chosen engineering solution, as well as the construction of the manipulator scoop, mechanical gears, and the manipulator as a whole, are considered; brief technical specifications are given. The issue of the selection of the soil as an analog of the soil of Phobos to conduct ground-based tests is discussed; the test results and principles of the manipulator operation and control are presented.