2023-11-22 05:00:06
NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) plan to launch the world’s first wooden satellite, called LignoSat, into Earth orbit by summer 2024. About the size of a coffee cup, this innovative satellite is made of magnolia wood (Magnolia is a genus of plants, from the Magnoliaceae family, which includes around a hundred…).
Illustration of a wooden square satellite
Credit: Kyoto University
The choice of wood as a material for the satellites is not trivial. Contrary to what one might think, wood does not burn or rot in the vacuum of space. Furthermore, upon its return to the terrestrial atmosphere (The terrestrial atmosphere is the gaseous envelope surrounding the solid Earth. Dry air is composed of…), the wood is completely consumed into fine ashes, thus providing surprising biodegradable alternative for future satellites.
This bold decision follows successful tests on the ISS (International Space Station). Three wood samples – magnolia, cherry and birch – were exposed to the harsh environment. is the set of natural and…) spatial elements. After ten months, the magnolia was found to be the most resistant to intense cosmic rays, dangerous solar particles and extreme temperature changes. , showing no deformation.
This project is part of a context where more than 8,440 tons of space objects, including debris such as out-of-service satellites, and pieces of rockets, clutter the Earth’s orbit (An Earth orbit is an orbit located around the Earth. The Moon, the only satellite…). Wooden satellites, such as LignoSat, should theoretically be less harmful as space debris.
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