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    The world’s first wooden satellite to reenter the atmosphere

    Umito Posted on

    The world’s first wooden satellite, LignoSat, has been successfully launched into space and is expected to re-enter the atmosphere without leaving behind any space debris. On November 5, LignoSat was launched on a SpaceX rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on a mission to resupply the International Space Station (ISS), according to its Japanese developers. A spokeswoman for Sumitomo Forestry, co-developer of LignoSat, told AFP that the launch had been “successful”. She added: “It will arrive on the ISS soon and will be released into space about a month later” to test its strength and durability.

    Once deployed, LignoSat will orbit approximately 400 kilometers above Earth for six months. The mission aims to prove that a wooden satellite body is as viable as those made of metal or plastic. The satellite’s developers expect the wood to burn completely upon re-entry, potentially preventing the generation of metal particles that could harm the environment and affect telecommunications.

    “Metal satellites may be banned in the future,” said Takao Doi, an astronaut who flew on the space shuttle and studies human activities in space at Kyoto University, according to the Straits Times . This statement highlights the potential of wooden satellites to reduce pollution during re-entry. Doi also expressed his vision for sustainable space exploration: “With wood, a material that we can produce ourselves, we will be able to build houses, live and work in space forever.”

    LignoSat is constructed from honoki wood, a type of magnolia native to Japan. After extensive research, honoki was determined to be the most suitable wood for satellite applications due to its minimal cracking under temperature variations. The palm-sized satellite measures just 10 centimeters on each side and was constructed using a traditional Japanese craft technique, without screws or glue.

    Koji Murata, professor of forestry sciences at Kyoto University, explained that wood is more sustainable in space than on Earth. “Wood is more durable in space because there is no water or oxygen that could cause it to rot or catch fire,” he told The Straits Times. Murata drew parallels to the beginnings of aviation, saying, “Airplanes in the early 1900s were made of wood. A wooden satellite should also be feasible. »

    Electronic components on board LignoSat will measure how well wood copes with the extreme environment of space. This includes monitoring changes in the material’s internal temperature, its magnetic properties, and its expansion and contraction in low-gravity environments. Extreme temperature fluctuations in space pose a significant challenge: the satellite’s temperature oscillates from minus 100 degrees Celsius to 100 degrees Celsius every 45 minutes during the transition from sunlight to darkness.

    Takao Doi’s team at Kyoto University has a 50-year plan that includes planting trees and building wooden houses on the Moon and Mars. He expressed his ambition to collaborate further, saying: “If we can prove that our first wooden satellite works, we want to present it to Elon Musk’s SpaceX,” as reported by The Straits Times.

    The use of wood in satellites also addresses the growing problem of space debris. Decommissioned satellites must re-enter the atmosphere to avoid becoming space junk, which can linger in orbit and pose risks to other spacecraft. When a wooden satellite disintegrates upon re-entry, it releases far fewer harmful substances, making it a more environmentally friendly option. Combustion without leaving metal particles avoids negative impacts on the environment and telecommunications.

    Kenji Kariya, director of the Sumitomo Forestry Tsukuba Research Institute, highlighted the innovative nature of using wood in space exploration. “It may sound outdated, but wood is actually cutting-edge technology as civilization heads to the Moon and Mars,” he told The Straits Times. Kariya also noted that this expansion into space could reinvigorate the wood industry and that wood’s properties make it useful for applications such as data center construction.

    Researchers believe LignoSat’s success could pave the way for wider use of wood in future space missions. The team conducted a 10-month experiment on the ISS to finalize the wood selection, exposing different species of wood to space conditions for a year to observe the effects. These rigorous tests ensured that Honoki wood was the optimal choice due to its resilience.

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    Koji Murata also spoke about the potential of wood in extraterrestrial habitats. “We also discussed the possibility of building wooden domes on Mars in order to grow wooden forests there,” he told the New York Post. Such visions align with long-term goals of creating sustainable living environments in space.

    The mission will evaluate wood’s ability to mitigate the impact of space radiation on semiconductors, an ability that could have significant implications for the protection of electronic equipment. Researchers say LignoSat is durable and capable of withstanding the hostile conditions of space.

    At a time when environmental concerns are paramount, LignoSat represents a pioneering step towards sustainable space exploration. Using renewable materials and innovative techniques, this mission aims to not only demonstrate the viability of wooden satellites, but also inspire future efforts that prioritize ecological responsibility. As humanity looks to the Moon, Mars and beyond, LignoSat may well mark the start of a new chapter in space technology.

    Sources: New York Post, The Straits Times, The Economic Times, Reuters, Home, Al-Bayan, Japan Today, Asharq News, ABC News Australia, Manila Times, Yahoo News, The Independent, Interesting Engineering, Komsomolskaya Pravda

    This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq



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