Colmena
Swarm of five palm sized Mexican micro robots intended to self organise on the lunar regolith, lost with the Peregrine lander.
| Maker | Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico |
|---|---|
| Country | Mexico |
| Launched | 2024 |
| Status | Lost |
| Actuation | Small wheeled micro robots designed to work as a group |
| Power | Solar cells on each robot |
| Sensors | Regolith and plasma sensors with position tracking |
| Autonomy | Cooperative swarm behaviour rather than individual teleoperation |
Colmena was developed by the space instrumentation laboratory at UNAM as Mexico's first lunar mission, with five wheeled robots about twelve centimetres across. Released from a rail on the Astrobotic Peregrine lander, they were to drive together, link into a shared electrical network and measure regolith and plasma conditions. The mission ended when Peregrine suffered a propellant leak in January 2024 and re entered the atmosphere.
Of note
- Mexico's first lunar payload
- Five robots designed to operate as a cooperative swarm
Maker: www.unam.mx