Mexico Sends Small Robots to Deep Space on 1st Moon Mission

Picture: DGCS/UNAM

The entire world has been paying out close focus to the launch of Astrobotic’s Peregrine moon lander, aimed to be the  initially private lunar mission to touch down efficiently on the Moon. Sad to say, a propulsion challenge caused a important propellant leak. As a consequence, Peregrine will not achieve a delicate landing on the Moon, according to NASA. But not all hope is missing for the projects on board. Peregrine takes place to be carrying Colmena, Mexico’s initial-ever Moon mission. And irrespective of the setbacks, the job has now accomplished a number of wins.

The Colmena mission is made up of 5 autonomous micro-robots, which evaluate just 4 inches in diameter and weigh 2 ounces each individual. Colmena, which usually means “beehive” in Spanish, references the employee bee’s process, indicating that these tiny equipment are prepared to perform as a team. Designed by the Laboratory of Specific Instruments (LINX) at the National Autonomous College of Mexico (UNAM), the job released again in 2015, when it was first pitched to Astrobiotic and chosen along with 19 other initiatives from NASA, as properly as the Uk, Japan, and Germany. Fast forward 9 a long time, and with the support of 250 learners who served produce the robots, the mission has finally been brought to everyday living.

The important to their success is size. Gustavo Medina, Colmena mission leader and head of LINX, explained to El País that gadgets this small have in no way been operated in space. This was what caught Astrobotic’s interest and might be a video game changer in the future. “Instead of sending a massive equipment to extract a mineral, which charges a whole lot and if it breaks down every thing is shed, we can send 100,000 tiny robots and if one particular dies, nothing at all happens,” he clarifies. “The venture can resist. Which is the philosophy.”

The robots are enclosed in what Medina describes as a “cookie package deal,” which would later on operate as a catapult. Considering the fact that there is practically nothing to offload the robots, the catapult would toss them 30 to 50 toes away from the lander—enough to escape the shade of the lander to get their solar panels to operate and receiving coordinates from wherever their buddies landed, so they can get to get the job done.

This way of wondering might have compensated off specified the challenges Peregrine has faced. The lander has been capable to ability Colmena and nine other tasks, proving their operational ability in deep area. This by itself is a huge acquire for Medina and everyone at LINX, prompting an emotional celebration when the news was announced.

“Even if they will not make it [to the Moon], the mission was now a good results, from the minute it was capable to get on leading of the rocket,” Medina details out. “It is a little bit unrealistic to chat about failures when you are undertaking one thing so modern and so considerably-achieving, what you have are failures and the essential thing is not to fall, it is to get up. We are now creating the next mission.”

Mexico has introduced its to start with-at any time Moon mission via 5 autonomous robots in a mission known as Colmena (which means beehive in Spanish) aboard Astrobotic’s Peregrine lander.

Image: DGCS/UNAM

Photograph: DGCS/UNAM

These little robots measure just 4 inches in diameter and weigh a humble 2 ounces each individual.

Photograph: DGCS/UNAM

The task was designed by the Laboratory of Distinctive Devices (LINX) at the National Autonomous College of Mexico (UNAM), and the mission is currently being led by Gustavo Medina.

Photograph: DGCS/UNAM

“Instead of sending a massive equipment to extract a mineral, which costs a good deal and if it breaks down all the things is shed, we can deliver 100,000 very small robots and if one particular dies, nothing at all takes place,” Medina points out.

Nevertheless there have been some setbacks, Peregrine has been capable to ability Colmena, proving its operational capability in deep area.

Image: DGCS/UNAM

Picture: DGCS/UNAM

This alone was a enormous acquire for Medina and everybody at LINX, prompting an psychological celebration when the news was declared.

¡No estoy llorando se me metió una colmena en el ojo!

Después de casi 10 años de arduo trabajo de académicos y la colaboración de más de 250 estudiantes, te compartimos el momento exacto en que se confirmó el exitoso funcionamiento de #Colmena en el espacio profundo.
1/5 pic.twitter.com/2GZOG7ZQV9

— Instituto de Ciencias Nucleares UNAM Oficial (@icnunam) January 11, 2024

Laboratory of Specific Devices (LINX) at UNAM: Internet site
h/t: [El País]

All photographs via Dirección Common de Comunicación Social/UNAM.

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