The world’s first wooden satellite was launched into space by a SpaceX rocket, according to the statement of Japanese developers. This innovative satellite, called “LignoSat”, started its space journey on a resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS). It will undergo a series of tests in orbit as an early trial of the use of wood in LignoSat’s lunar and Mars exploration.Wood time in space
Developed by scientists at Kyoto University, LignoSat’s wood material is expected to burn when it re-enters the atmosphere. This feature is seen as a sustainable solution to reduce environmental or certain risks that may occur when metal parts return to Earth.
The box-like experimental satellite measures just 10 centimeters on each side. While a special wooden material is used in the satellite, in collaboration with Sumitomo Forestry and Kyoto University, it will reach the ISS in a special container provided by the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). Then, it will be released into outer space in about a month and its durability and durability will be tested. The satellite is expected to be released into orbit at an altitude of approximately 400 km. Once placed into orbit, LignoSat will remain in orbit for six months.
This experimental satellite will send data back to Earth, and researchers will evaluate the satellite’s structural strength by examining how it responds to temperature changes. If the LignoSat project is successful, an important step will be taken in the development of environmentally friendly satellite technologies in the future.Made by Honoki
Astronaut Takao Doi, who studies human space activities at Kyoto University, said, “We will be able to build houses, live and work in space with wood, a material we can produce ourselves.” Doi’s team, which has a 50-year plan to plant trees and build wooden houses on the Moon and Mars, says wood is more durable in space than on Earth because it lacks components that would rot or cause it to burn.
As a result of a 10-month experiment on the ISS, researchers previously discovered that honoki, a type of magnolia tree, is the most suitable material for spacecraft. Honoki is also used for sword sheaths. LignoSat, on the other hand, was built using traditional Japanese craft technique without the use of screws or glue.
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