Sending a wooden satellite into space may not sound like a great idea. After all, it’s impossible for wood to be as durable as metal, right? But wood can be surprisingly tough in space, according to an experiment led by researchers on the International Space Station.
Japan first announced plans to build a wooden satellite in 2020. The reason behind this move is the current problem of space junk and the mass of satellites constantly being launched into space. Unfortunately, many agencies do not properly calibrate their satellites for return to Earth’s atmosphere, causing dangerous metal fragments to scatter into the sky.
A wooden satellite might be a good solution here, as the wood will burn up as it re-enters the atmosphere. This means that the amount of garbage re-entering the atmosphere is reduced. It also reduces the risk of injury to animals and people when they fall back to earth.
The International Space Station has had to change direction several times in recent years to avoid space debris. The situation will become even more dangerous as new space stations begin to be placed in orbit.
The new wooden satellite is being built in partnership with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and a group of researchers at Kyoto University. The team tested three different types of wood in the harsh space environment outside the International Space Station (ISS). As a result, they found that the material was unaffected by surrounding cosmic rays or incoming solar particles.
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