National Institute of Astrophysics Optics and Electronics (INAOE) and Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP)
Team photo, credit: Jose Eduardo Mendoza
"The opportunity to install a project developed by our team in the Chinese Space Station is priceless. This project encourages the technological and scientific development of Mexico through aerospace technology in order to apply it in another field such as weather monitoring, climate changes, deforestation rates, etc." Jose Eduardo Mendoza Torres, Project Coordinator.
AWARDS
Mission e-patches awarded to the National Institute of Astrophysics Optics and Electronics (INAOE) and Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP)
China Space Station
The project "Mid-infrared platform for Earth observations" has been awarded in the first round of China Space Station opportunity in 2019. It is a joint project to be implemented by two organizations from Mexico; the National Institute of Astrophysics Optics and Electronics (INAOE) and Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP). This project has had the participation of INAOE students, researchers, technicians, and BUAP colleagues.
The development is based on a miniaturized Cassegrain-type infrared telescope and a wide-field infrared camera. Both devices work together to carry out studies of the temperature in the seas and land territory, which has various applications such as the identification of hot zones, the forecast of the evolution of hurricanes and the analysis of aspects related to climate change.
News
- BUAP researchers participated in a project chosen in China Space Station programme by UNOOSA and CMSA (26 August 2019)
- Poblanos create this project for the China Space Station (12 July 2019)
- Mexican scientists to install instruments on the China Space Station (10 July 2019)
- A Mexican team from the INAOE has developed a platform for observing the Earth in the infrared (8 July 2019)
- Mexicans will install instruments in the China space station (8 July 2019)
Activities
- Presented in UNOOSA Access to Space for All Expert Meeting ( pdf & video 1:58:28-2:09:51) (15 May 2023)
- 1st Workshop of Astronautics of the Mexican Olympiad of Astronomy held in February 2020
Publications
- Valadez-Campos, E. and Mendoza-Torres, J., 2021. Implementation of Reed-Solomon Codes for Stratospheric Balloon Probes and Nano-Satellites. International Journal of Engineering Research and Technology, [online] 10(2), p.8.
- Valadez-Campos, E., Mendoza-Torres, E. and DeRoa-Campoy, A., 2021. Low-cost testing platform for high-altitude balloon flights. Educative Clues (Pistas Educativas), 42(136), p.21.
- Mendoza-Torres, J., Palacios-Fonseca, J., Velázquez-de-la-Rosa, M., et al., 2019. A Solar Mid-Infrared Telescope. Revista Mexicana de Astronomía y Astrofísica, 55(1), pp.11-16.
Photos
Prototype of a mid-infrared telescope
Miniaturized mid-infrared telescope. To the left, a frontal view of the primary mirror. In the middle, an image of the sun in false colour, captured with the telescope. To the right, the complete instrument.
Image of one of the previous designs of the infrared platform to be installed in the China Space Station
Image of another design of the infrared platform
Launch of one of our stratospheric probes, the Zvezda 2
Launch of the stratosphere probe, the Zvezda 1
Downlink of the data from the probe Zvezda 2 during the flight
Trajectory of the Zvezda 1 probe
Graphic of the atmospheric pressure vs the altitude of the probe Zvezda 1
Altitude of the probe of the Zvezda 2 probe
Temperature of the Zvezda 1 during the flight
Image received through radio-link. The image was captured at an altitude of 17,000 m.a.s.l.
Test of the mid-infrared sensor using a drone
Vibration tests made at the facilities of the National Polytechnic Institute
Thermo-vacuum tests made at facilities of the cryogenic group of the Astrophysics department at INAOE