Japanese scientists have, for the first time, launched a satellite made of wood into space. They explained that the satellite was part of a study to examine the potential use of wood in upcoming lunar and Mars missions.
“LignoSat,” the world’s first wooden satellite, was created through a collaboration between Kyoto University in Japan and Sumitomo Forestry, a building company.
The LignoSat, which is named after the Latin word for “wood”, is a palm-sized satellite that aims to showcase the potential of renewable materials as humanity considers living in space.
“With timber, a material we can produce by ourselves, we will be able to build houses, live and work in space forever,” said Takao Doi, an astronaut who has flown on the Space Shuttle and studies human space activities at Kyoto University.
The LignoSat satellite orbits the Earth at an altitude of roughly 400 kilometres above the surface, where it will search for recyclable materials in space.
Scientists plan to construct wooden houses on the Moon and Mars within the next 50 years. As part of this vision, the wooden satellite has been launched into space.
“Early 1900s airplanes were made of wood,” said Kyoto University forest science professor Koji Murata. “A wooden satellite should be feasible, too,” as Reuters reported.
According to Murata, wood lasts longer in space than on Earth because there is no water or oxygen to cause it to decay or ignite.
The researchers suggest that a wooden satellite lowers the environmental impact once its life has ended.
In Japan, there is a type of Honoki magnolia tree, traditionally used for making sword sheaths, which is considered ideal for spacecraft.
The LignoSat satellite will remain in Earth’s orbit for approximately six months, during which various tests will assess how wood withstands the harsh conditions of space.
It’s worth noting that Japanese scientists had already studied wood as a potentially suitable material for space.
Previously, China has created Chinese made bricks set for lunar mission.