Japan launched LignoSat, world’s first wooden satellite, into the space. This was launched by Japanese researchers to explore timber’s potential for lunar and Mars mission. The LignoSat is a tiny cubical satellite.
LignoSat, a collaborative project of Kyoto University and Sumitomo Forestry made to space through SpaceX. LignoSat will be positioned in the orbit around 400 Km above the Earth. The satellite is named after the Latin word for wood, and aimed to test the viability of woods as a sustainable material for future space habitations.
Material And Measure Of LignoSat Satellite
LignoSat is small cube that measures 4 inches on one side and weighs over 2 pounds. It was made using the Japanese Techniques.
Magnolia wood was “Selected for its strength and workability after space exposure tests were conducted on cherry, birch and magnolia wood chips” the Japan Times reported.
The researchers mentioned, that wooden satellites offers less impact on environment upon decommissioning.
“With timber, a material we can produce by ourselves, we will be able to build housed, live and work in space forever” said astronaut Takao Doi.
A professor at Kyoto University forest science professor Koji Murata mentioned that early in 1900s airplanes were developed by using wood. He stated that a wooden satellite should be feasible, too.
He further explained that wood exhibits enhanced durability in space because of absence of water and oxygen.
LignoSat To Remain In Space For Six Months
The LignoSat satellite will remain in space for six months. Woods performance would be monitored using onboard electronic. The temperature will be around -100 to 100 degrees Celsius every 45 minutes between sunlight and darkness.
Kenji Kariya from Sumitomo Forestry Tsukuba Research Institute stated that the satellite will also keep evaluating wood’s capacity to shield the semiconductors from space radiation.
LignoSat was inspired from early wooden aircraft, the team crafted it using honoki wood. Honoki is a Japanese Magnolia species traditionally used for sword sheaths.
