Japan launches world's first wooden artificial satellite into orbit

On November 5, Japan launched the world's first wooden artificial satellite into orbit. This event marked a new step forward in science in the manufacture of artificial satellites in particular, and the conquest of space in general.

Japan launched the world's first wooden artificial satellite into orbit. Photo: Internet.

The satellite, called “LignoSat,” will be tested in space, marking the beginning of a new era where wood could become a key material for future missions to the Moon and Mars. LignoSat is a collaboration between Kyoto University and Sumitomo Forestry Corporation. It was launched to the International Space Station (ISS) via a SpaceX flight, before being launched into orbit at an altitude of about 400 km above Earth. The name “LignoSat” comes from the Latin word “ligno” – meaning “wood”, and the main goal of the satellite is to demonstrate the feasibility of this renewable material for long-term operations in space. "With wood, a material that we can easily produce, people will be able to build houses, live and work in space for a long time," said Takao Doi, a former space shuttle astronaut and now a space operations researcher at Kyoto University. LignoSat is part of a long-term plan by Doi and his team to plant trees and build wooden houses on the Moon and Mars within the next 50 years. To prove that wood can be a suitable material for space, the team has developed a wooden satellite that has been certified by the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Professor Koji Murata, a forest scientist at Kyoto University, emphasized: "In the early 20th century, airplanes were also made of wood. So operating a satellite made entirely of wood is also possible."

Professor Doi Takao. Photo: Jiji Press

Wooden satellites could fare better in space than on Earth, since there is no water or oxygen in space to decompose or burn. Furthermore, at the end of their lifespan, wooden satellites could have a lower environmental impact than traditional metal satellites, which must re-enter the atmosphere to avoid becoming space junk. Metal satellites then produce aluminum oxide particles, while wooden satellites burn up completely, with less pollution.

The satellite, named LignoSat, is compact in size, about the size of a palm, and is made from honoki wood – a type of wood known for its durability and resistance to cracking. LignoSat is expected to orbit about 400 km above Earth, staying in orbit for 6 months to test its ability to withstand extreme temperatures, ranging from -100 to 100 degrees Celsius in a 45-minute cycle.

Researchers hope that using wood for satellites will be a greener solution for future missions to the Moon and Mars, as wood is less polluting than metal during the decomposition process when the satellite falls back into the atmosphere./.

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