Japan has finally launched the world’s first wooden satellite into orbit. The satellite was developed by Kyoto University and homebuilder Sumitomo Forestry and will fly to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of a SpaceX mission. From there, the satellite will reach an orbit of 400 kilometers (250 miles) above Earth before going into operation.
The LignoSat, named after the Latin word for “wood,” is a palm-sized satellite made with one simple goal: to prove that renewable materials have potential uses in space. One main factor behind the development of such a strange satellite is the fact that metal satellites don’t always burn up on re-entry, leaving debris to crash down to Earth.
Additionally, new studies believe that metal satellites may be saturating our atmosphere with chemicals, which could further worsen the ongoing global warming crisis. With the world’s first wooden satellite, that will hopefully become a concern of the past.
But just how durable is wood in space? Turns out it is actually a lot more durable, as there is no water or oxygen to cause it to rot or inflame. As such, the use of lumber to create satellites could become a safer, more reliable source of construction material for cosmic exploratory purposes.
The team’s hope with this particular satellite is to not only show how effective the wooden satellite can be, but also to prove to SpaceX CEO Elon Musk that it is a viable option to replace the current metal composition used in major satellites.
LignoSat will stay in orbit for around six months. During that time, electronic components onboard the satellite will measure how the satellite holds up to the cosmic elements, where temperatures can fluctuate significantly from -100 to 100 degrees Celsius every 45 minutes as the satellite orbits the Earth, passing from sunlight to shadow.
The world’s first wooden satellite will also gauge wood’s ability to reduce the impact that radiation in space has on semiconductors.
