With its shimmer exoskeleton , the Costa Rican gem scarab has always look like a quad years robot . But now scientists think the beetle ’s reflective properties may really be utilitarian in out space — and back on Earth , it could be subservient to the expansion of Central America ’s only distance program .
The Scarabaeus sacer , bonk asChrysina aurigans , can reflect circularly polarized igniter . On Earth , this superpower makes the mallet nearly invisible to vulture . In space , it may aid them stand firm radiation from the Sun . The kaleidoscopic mallet has already turn out it can carry up to the strains of the stratosphere in a balloon . Now a group ofCosta Rican scientist need to pillory the beetle ’s exoskeletonoutside the atmosphere and test its strength on the International Space Station . Scientists trust the experimentation could lead to the production of a new satellite coating capable to guard off heat radiation and reflect unwanted light away from onboard cameras , improving image accuracy .
“ If this is successful , the next pace will then be to synthesize this fabric and see if that is capable to reflect and absorb light in the same way that it does on the mallet , ” Andrés Mora , the scientist behind the project , toldmental_floss . Mora is with the Central America Space and Aeronautics Association ( ACAE ) , the only space organization in the neighborhood . “ If that happens , then we will have attain onto a raw interesting material . "
Mora ( who studied under NASA astronautFranklin Chang Diaz , the only Central American to have been to infinite ) and his team of students and Volunteer have already eat up through their very limited finances to design the project . They will require to nurture around $ 30,000 to secure the beetle a spot aboard a roquette withNanoRacks , a U.S. companionship that carries projects to the ISS . Mora hopes to have financial backing for a launch before the end of 2016 either through grant or a crowdfunding campaign .
Much more than satellite armor is ride on this projection . The Costa Ricans behind the commission plan to use the mallet experimentation as the first loop of a half-yearly program that will beam student experiments to the ISS . The project , called Ditsö , is just one of several infinite engineering science projects underway at the ACAE . Officials hope the young initiatives will promote the introduction of a full - fledged government space course of study in Costa Rica .
ACAE
“ We need to take some babe footstep with these first few projects , but then we desire to spring up a long - term satellite program , ” ACAE president Carlos Alvarado said .
ACAE ’s first tone is to increase educational chance for Central American scholar interested in quad technology through projects like Ditsö . Another scholar - run task will launch the region ’s first picosatellite in 2016 . The miniature satellite will collect daily carbon copy dioxide reading to facilitate read the long - term effects of mood change , and will serve as a tryout run for larger satellite project down the road .
In the future , Alvarado hope to have a regional launchpad to send small payloads into space and help cardinal American governments tackle local problems like climate change , poaching , and drug traffic through planet monitoring .
" In 10 age , I think that Costa Rica will be preparing for the launch of its first full - fledged satellite , ” Alvarado say . " I woolgather to have at least one big astronautics company established in Costa Rica and to have a functioning space computer programme with a budget . "
