Mexico City /
Within the framework of the World Space Weekit is important to recognize the advances that have had an impact on the daily life of humanity, from communication by cell phones to the development of innovative medicines and materials.
This is what the doctor highlighted José Francisco Valdés, coordinator of the University Space Program (PEU) of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), in an interview for MILLENNIUM.
According to Valdés, many of the current technological advances are possible thanks to space missions and studies carried out outside the Earth’s atmosphere.
He explained that many of the services and products that we use daily are possible thanks to space technology: “The communication signal on cell phones is possible because the signals go up to the satellites and go down,” he highlighted.
Furthermore, he mentioned that the drug synthesis (chemical process that consists of mixing different products to produce a medicine) has also benefited from ultraterrestrial research.
“In space we have several conditions, the first is that we do not have an atmosphere and therefore, getting rid of possible contaminants for the synthesis of drugs is easier and, on the other hand, the gravity is much lower, so certain substances can be combined with others in a way free of gravitational force so syntheses that are not possible on Earth are possible in space.”
Observatories in Mexico, an important contribution to space science
Mexico has had important contributions, mainly in the observation of the cosmos from Earth. Proof of this are the National Astronomical Observatory (OAN), located in Baja California, which is made up of three telescopes with diameters of 2.1, 1.5 and 0.84 meters.
On the other hand, at the top of the Sierra Negra volcano, in the state of Puebla, is located the Alfonso Serrano Large Millimeter Telescopeconsidered the largest in the world with its 50 meters in diameter.
Also in the Sierra Negra de Puebla, there is the observatory of HAWC (High Altitude Water Cherenkov) gamma rays and it is one of the most powerful of its kind. Unlike other observatories, HAWC nor use mirrors or antennas to operate. Instead, it uses 300 tanks filled with 180 thousand liters of ultrapure water.
However, in the area satellitethe country has depended on technology from other countries.
“The communication satellites used in Mexico were made abroad, and some projects have not yet been completed,” added the doctor.
Well, although Mexico occupies twelfth place worldwide in the aerospace industrial sector according to the Mexican Federation of the Aerospace Industry (FEMIA)the companies for which manufacturing work is carried out are not Mexican.
In fact, it was not until 1991 when the first 100 percent Mexican satellite was manufactured, the UNAMSAT-1which was destroyed during its launch in 1995, 38 years after the launch of the Sputnik 1.
Lack of space culture, an obstacle for Mexico: specialist
However, Valdés stressed that one of the biggest obstacles to the growth of this sector in Mexico is the lack of a space culture.
“People don’t know that calling by cell phone involves the use of space technology, or how many foods and drugs have been developed in space,” he commented.
Furthermore, he points out that the miniaturization of electronics, key to modern technology, also originated in space research.
In this sense, the UNAM coordinator points out that the development of this spatial culture is a shared responsibility between scientists, the government and productive companies.
“It is necessary to inform society more about the benefits of space so that they support these activities,” he emphasized.
For Mexico to position itself as a relevant player in the space sector, Valdés advocates for a strong, government-backed space policy.
“It is crucial that there is an alliance between the government, academia and the productive sector to promote the development of space activities,” he stated.
The creation of a comprehensive strategy would allow not only the strengthening of satellite infrastructure, but also the generation of highly specialized jobs and the attraction of foreign investment in space technology.
EHR
