PENETRATOR FOR STUDY OF CELESTIAL BODY SURFACES Russian patent published in 1998 - IPC

FIELD: space engineering. SUBSTANCE: penetrator includes nose section penetrated in soil and tail section remaining on surface; both sections have compartments where experimental and working equipment items are arranged; items of equipment are interconnected by means of cables. Tail section deceleration member is made in the form of pressure chamber located between separable members of penetrator. Tail section is provided with ferrule for mounting the instrument bay and aerodynamic surface made in the form of truncated cone whose lesser base is connected with this ferrule. Instrument bay and nose section of penetrator are located in ferrule of tail section for axial displacement cavity between them where piston engageable with nose member is mounted. This cavity is brought in communication with gas reservoir by means of passage available in ferrule which provided with instrument bay and piston travel limiter. EFFECT: enhanced reliability of penetrator due to low center of mass. 2 dwg