MACEDONAS—Momentum Absorption Catcher for Express Deliveries on Non-Atmospheric Somata—is a breakthrough mechanical system designed to land high-speed payloads on the Moon and other airless celestial bodies without using fuel, rockets, or generating harmful ejecta. The innovation marks a paradigm shift in extraterrestrial logistics, enabling reusable, passive, and highly scalable infrastructure for rapid cargo delivery in extreme environments.

Problem Solved

Landing systems on airless bodies such as the Moon traditionally depend on chemical propulsion. These systems are heavy, costly, and environmentally disruptive. Rocket exhaust stirs regolith into high-speed projectiles that damage equipment, obscure landers, and contaminate scientific sites. Furthermore, fuel adds mass, limits delivery frequency, and restricts scalability. MACEDONAS solves these issues by eliminating propulsion and replacing it with a mechanically driven, reusable deceleration system.

How It Works

MACEDONAS is comprised of two main components:

1. The Catcher

Positioned atop elevated Lunar terrain (e.g., mountain ridges), the catcher consists of multiple nets of ultra-high-strength fibers such as Zylon or Technora, optionally lined with shock-absorbing TSAM (Talin Shock Absorbing Material). Incoming parcels, traveling at velocities near 1.7 km/s, perforate multiple spaced layers. Each layer absorbs part of the kinetic energy while reducing the risk of catastrophic failure by distributing stresses across a broader contact area. The catcher displaces upon impact, transferring momentum downstream.

2. The Decelerator

Connected to the catcher is a terrain-mounted deceleration system made of metallic wires arranged in a spring formation. As the catcher is pulled along the vector of velocity of the parcel, the central wire unwinds, engaging lateral wire segments that stretch and anchor progressively. The parcel’s momentum is dissipated through a synergy of six mechanisms:

1. Wire mass inertia
2. Gravity-driven elevation gain
3. Elastic deformation of the spring system
4. Friction between the wire and pulverized regolith
5. Lifting action of the parcel pulling on the decelerator
6. Controlled descent along a constrained ballistic path

Finally, a regolith-based landing cushion halts the parcel’s vertical motion with minimal penetration depth, minimizing structural loads and preserving payload integrity.

Innovation

MACEDONAS introduces a first-of-its-kind passive deceleration framework for space logistics:

• Requires no propellant, greatly reducing launch mass and cost.
• Generates no ejecta, preserving surface infrastructure and science zones.
• Operates with modular, replaceable components that can be reset using vacuum-rated winch systems.
• Enables soda can-sized to large cargo scale-up, supporting organic growth every ~3 years by a factor of 10.
  Furthermore, MACEDONAS recycles its components: used wires can be upcycled into structural elements via wire-based 3D printing; worn fabric can be repurposed into shock-absorbent pads. Even aluminum parcel shells can be laser-processed into beams, tubes, or flat panels for in-situ construction.

Feasibility & Production

All materials and concepts in MACEDONAS are grounded in current manufacturing technologies:

• Zylon and Technora are commercially available and used in aerospace-grade applications.
• TSAM integration enhances survivability without complicating fabrication.
• Spring-based decelerators rely on simple wire geometries, with clear stress and fatigue profiles.
• Deployment relies on automated knitting machines and robotic assembly, making the system highly adaptable for pre-deployment by orbiters or surface rovers.
• Resetting after impact is accomplished via terrain-mounted winches