Rotary drilling is a boring method in which a rotating drill bit, driven by surface or downhole power, mechanically cuts and grinds rock or unconsolidated formations while drilling fluid circulates through the drill string and annulus. The fluid cools and cleans the bit, stabilizes the borehole, and transports cuttings to the surface. Rotary systems typically employ a bottom-hole assembly with drill collars and stabilizers to control trajectory and weight on bit, and may use roller-cone or fixed-cutter bits. The method underlies most modern oil, gas, and geothermal well construction and is compatible with directional and horizontal drilling technologies.
This series of images shows NASA's Curiosity Mars rover as it got a rock stuck to the drill on the end of its robotic arm, and—after waving the arm and running the drill a few times—finally detached the rock. The imagery ...
Planetary Sciences
3 hours ago
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The lunar south pole looks chaotic from orbit. Craters heaped upon craters, ancient basins, scarps and slopes tumbling in every direction, it is without doubt, one of the most geologically complicated terrains in the inner ...
Planetary Sciences
Apr 15, 2026
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Work continues on designs for robots that can help assist the first human explorers on the moon in over half a century. One of the most important aspects of that future trip will be utilizing the resources available on the ...
Planetary Sciences
Nov 11, 2025
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On June 3, NASA's Perseverance Mars rover ground down a portion of a rock surface, blew away the resulting debris, and then went to work studying its pristine interior with a suite of instruments designed to determine its ...
Planetary Sciences
Jun 25, 2025
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