2023-06-02 18:44:00
Amidst a whirlwind of metal armor through space, Japan can innovate and put a wooden satellite into orbit next year. This possibility comes following researchers at Kyoto University pointed out that magnolia wood is an ideal building material.
The conclusion came from an experiment on the International Space Station, which compared three types of wood. The samples were exposed to different conditions for 10 months and returned to Earth in January. The analysis showed that the magnolia tree has not suffered decay or damage such as cracking, flaking or warping nor was there any change in the mass of the wood samples before and following their exposure in space.
The advantage of wood is that it’s easier and cheaper to produce than the metal alloys used in satellites, and it’s more environmentally friendly and flexible — and it burns out completely during reentry into the atmosphere. Still, naturally, its internal components will have to be made with the traditional materials.
Kyoto University partnered with Sumitomo Forestry in 2020 on the LignoStella Space Wood Project, with the goal of eventually launching a wooden satellite into space. Simulated tests suggested that the material would be quite tough and retain its properties in a vacuum.
The group’s wooden satellite is expected to be launched jointly by NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) in 2024.
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