LignoSat, named after the Latin word for 'wood,' was created using timber to demonstrate the potential of this renewable material in space exploration as humans consider living beyond Earth.
"With timber, a material we can produce by ourselves, we will be able to build houses, live and work in space forever," astronaut Takao Doi told Reuters.
Developed by Kyoto University and home builder Sumitomo Forestry (911.T), the satellite was launched into space last month and will be flown to the International Space Station on a SpaceX mission. It will be later released into orbit about 400 kilometres above the Earth.
Takao has flown on the Space Shuttle and now studies human space activities at Kyoto University. He led the development of this NASA-certified wooden satellite with his team, driven by a 50-year vision to plant trees and build timber houses on the Moon and Mars.
According to Koji Murata, a professor of forest science at Kyoto University, wood is more durable in space than on Earth due to the absence of water and oxygen, which prevents it from rotting or combusting.
Additionally, a wooden satellite has a lower environmental impact at the end of its life. When decommissioned, satellites must re-enter the atmosphere to avoid contributing to space debris. During this process, wooden satellites simply burn up during re-entry, producing less pollution compared to traditional metal satellites which release aluminium oxide particles that contribute to atmospheric pollution.
After a ten-month experiment aboard the International Space Station, researchers found that honoki – a type of magnolia native to Japan and traditionally used for sword sheaths, is the most suitable wood for spacecraft. LignoSat, made from honoki, was crafted using traditional Japanese techniques without screws or glue.
Industries such as data storage could also benefit from the experiment as it demonstrates wood’s ability to shield electronics from space radiation.
LignoSat will remain in orbit for six months, during which its onboard electronic components will measure how wood withstands the extreme conditions of space, where temperatures fluctuate between -100°C and 100 degrees Celsius every 45 minutes as it orbits from darkness to sunlight. The data collected will be sent back to researchers, allowing them to monitor signs of strain and assess the satellite’s ability to endure these temperature extremes.
Planet Ark does not take responsibility for the accuracy of the original information and encourages readers to check the references before using this information for their own purposes.