First Mexican mission to the Moon will be launched in 2024

MEXICO CITY.- The ‘Hive’ project, the first Mexican mission to the Moon It is now ready to take off in January 2024.

This was reported by the Secretariat of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT) through the Mexican Space Agency (AEM) in an official statement.

Mexico will launch five microrobots to the Moon

Mexico will launch his first mission of five microrobots said Lunapossibly on January 8 of next year, from Cape Canaveral in Florida, United States.

“This project will make history and is the first of its kind in Latin America, which raises the name of our country very high, confirming once again that Mexican engineering is at the level of the best in the world,” he said. Salvador Landeros Ayalageneral director of the AEM.

After overcoming a large number of technical tests and challenges, such as redesigning almost the entire project due to a change in the launcher rocket for the ship ‘Peregrine Lunar Lander’ of Astrobotics – carrier of ‘Hive’ – is ready for the mission called ‘Peregrine 1’.

“Something of such low mass had not been achieved until now for lunar exploration,” he said, referring to the miniaturization that had to be achieved to launch these micro robots weighing less than 60 grams and 12 centimeters in diameter each.

This thanks to a team of almost 250 students.

First Mexican mission to the Moon in 2024

Supported by a telecommunications module, the microrobots will have the mission of deploying on the lunar surface and connecting electronically, recognizing each other, and then assembling a panel that can generate energy.

“Although it is subject to atmospheric conditions and other technical factors, a possible first launch window is open for ‘Colmena’, on January 8, to leave the Earth’s surface aboard the ULA Vulcan-Centaur rocket,” Landeros reported.

First Mexican mission to the Moon, how did it start?

The “Colmena” project was developed by a team led by Gustavo Medina Tanco in it Space Instrumentation Laboratory of the Institute of Nuclear Sciences (LINX-ICN) National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).

“Colmena” also included joint support from the AEMthe Today National Council of Humanities, Science and Technology (CONAHCYT), and the Government of Hidalgo.

“Developing our own technology is a necessity for the country […] We need to not be just consumers and transform the country into an actor with technological sovereignty,” said Medina Tanco.

The project is part of Mexico’s accession to the international program ‘Artemisa’ at the invitation of the vice president of USA, Kamala Harris and which was formalized on December 9, 2022.

“This accession to the Artemis agreements […] will allow the development of Mexican technology in the international project for the scientific exploration of the Moon and Mars,” the statement says.

‘Sagebrush’ is an international cooperation program for manned flight whose main objective is to carry out manned trips to the Moon in 2024. So far, 13 countries are part of the project.

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