First Mexican space project to reach the moon

MEXICO - The Mexican Space Agency (AEM), an agency of the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transport (SICT), participated in the presentation of Colmena, the first Mexican space project to reach the Moon, to members of Congress.

The event was led by Congressman Roberto Briano Borunda, in the Legislative Palace of San Lazaro, and was attended by the director of the AEM, Salvador Landeros Ayala; as well as the representative of the Mexican Agency of International Cooperation for Development (AMEXCID) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE), Javier Dávila Torres.

As well as the lead scientist of the Colmena project, Gustavo Medina Tanco, who explained that the project, made up of five Mexican micro robots, is scheduled to be launched into space in the first half of 2023, most likely in May.

The director of the AEM informed that the project is already installed in the "Peregrine Lunar Lander" spacecraft, of the U.S. company and technological partner "Astrobotic", waiting to travel more than 380,000 kilometers to our natural satellite.

"The project included joint support from the AEM, the National Council of Science and Technology (Conacyt), and the Government of Hidalgo, as well as the accompaniment of the SRE, within the framework of our country's adhesion to NASA's Artemis program," he explained.

According to Landeros Ayala, the Mexican robots will be launched into space from NASA's facilities in Cape Canaveral, Florida, in the mission called "Peregrine-1", a unique project of its kind that is being carried out for the first time in history, and is made by Mexico.

The micro robots, weighing less than 60 grams and 12 centimeters in diameter each, and supported by a telecommunications module, will have the technological demonstration mission of deploying themselves on the lunar surface and connecting electronically to assemble a panel that can generate energy.