A newly funded NASA project has the goal of developing robotic bees to explore the surface of Mars. The project, dubbed “Marsbees” will help the space agency get around the red planet by air as opposed to the slow moving land robot, the Mars Curiosity Rover.
Dr. Chang-kwon Kang, an aerospace engineer at the University of Alabama, Huntsville and one of the researchers behind the initiative, said these “robotic flapping wing flyers of a bumblebee size” could “significantly enhance the Mars exploration mission.” The tiny robots would be fitted with sensors and wireless communication devices and would use a Mars rover like Nasa’s Curiosity as a charging point.
Because the rocky landscape on Mars is hard on the Mars rover wheels, NASA researchers are funding ways to explore the Red Planet by taking robotics to fly there instead. “Our preliminary numerical results suggest that a bumblebee with a cicada wing can generate sufficient lift to hover in the Martian atmosphere,” writes Chang-kwon Kang.
The Marsbee robots, on the other hand, could travel quickly across the planet’s surface, beaming information back to the rover, which would also act as the main communication center. Preliminary results from Dr. Kang and his team at the University of Alabama suggest their robots’ insect-like design would allow them to hover in the Martian atmosphere, even though it is far thinner than the one found on Earth.
According to The Independent, the Marsbees will be equipped with oversized wings that should provide the lift required to stay aloft above the planet’s surface. A team in Japan will develop and test the “micro flapping robots”, while Dr. Kang and his colleagues back in the US will model, analyze, and optimize them. The Japanese roboticists have already produced the hummingbird micro air vehicle, one of the few “robotic flappers” capable of flying on Earth.
This isn’t the first time robot bees have been suggested as a solution. In early 2017, scientists discussed using robot bees to help organic bees pollinate crops because of their population decline.
Of course, as with all robotic advancements, with great technology comes great responsibility. The fears of AI are already brewing and with robots likely becoming more technologically advanced in the coming year, those fears are certainly valid.
these aren’t for mars. the technology is being developed to replace natural bees, which the deep state will purposely destroy, giving them ultimate control over the food supply. “what, you can’t pay your pollination tax? too bad. sell your sons and daughters… it is better than watching them starve to death.”
Oh boy, how many MILLIONS more of OUR ass raped Tax Dollars can be pissed away n this hor$e-shit?? Jesus, it just never stops…
I think it’s worse than that. I think they will be weaponized.
Or at the minimum utilized to conduct almost undetectable and unstoppable surveillance of the overall population.
Big Brother is watching you, with bees.
Real bees die when people spray with certain weed killers.
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Wasps come into areas where bees have been killed off with weed killers.
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Well, if we send the bees to Mars, we’ll be forced to send the electronic flowers for them to pollinate next. Maybe the bees then can make some electronic honey for the electronic bears to snarf down. But seriously guys and gals, have none of you ever heard of ‘hive AI’ mentality? Also called ‘group mind’ devices. One device is not capable of becoming self-aware; however, at some critical juncture and with a centralized ‘queen’ processor there may come a moment when the entire swarm becomes self-programming. Deciding then to choose its next step/direction. Rather like social media. Get enough idiots together and suddenly they think they are actually doing something.
If they never made it to the moon how in hell are they going to make it to Mars? More blackhole injected billions boondoggle from living in a land of make believe. If I want to hear some straight talk I’ll have to listen to departed Eustace Mullins on youtube.
I think this is fantastic. Trying to solve problems like this is what leads to innovation. Good luck to the engineers working on this, controlled flight on Mars won’t be easy.
Good thing I was made aware of this. My Martian BOL will certainly benefit!
I’d be happy to send all our Democrats to Mars where they can live in luxury.
Good one. I’m glad our plan of making the commie Russians think it’s bees for Mars. Then when the robots attack and take out their satellites they’ll be like…. Hey what happened. They are really miniature robots that can maneuver in space and attach to satellites. Then they explode. Tiny little bombs blowing stuff up. But I do like the cover story.
Yes, flapping wings in a carbon dioxide atmosphere with density 0.6% of our air is going to work really well. F#king morons