NEW DELHI: Nasa and Japan plan to launch the world’s first wooden satellite as soon as 2024. The reason for this innovative project is to reduce the problem of space junk, which poses a threat to the Earth’s environment and other spacecraft. The wooden satellite, named LignoSat, is expected to burn up completely when it re-enters the atmosphere, without leaving any harmful or polluting debris.
The wooden satellite is a joint effort between Nasa, Japan’s space agency (JAXA), and Kyoto University. The project is led by Koji Murata, a researcher at Kyoto University who has been studying the use of wood materials in space. Murata and his team have tested different types of wood, such as magnolia, cherry, and birch, for their durability and resistance to temperature changes and sunlight in space. They have also sent wood samples to the International Space Station to examine their performance in orbit.
The wooden satellite will be made entirely of magnolia wood, which has small and uniform cells that make it easy to work with and less prone to splitting or breaking. The satellite will have a cubic shape, with each side measuring 10 centimeters. It will weigh about one kilogram and will carry a camera and sensors to monitor its condition and transmit data. The satellite will also have a coating to protect it from ultraviolet rays and cosmic rays.
The wooden satellite will be launched as a secondary payload on a rocket that will carry other satellites to space. The launch site and date have not been finalized yet, but the project aims to launch the satellite in 2024. The satellite will orbit the Earth at an altitude of about 500 kilometers for several months, before gradually descending and burning up in the atmosphere.
One of the key objectives of the LignoSat project is to test the viability of wood as a material for space applications. The researchers aim to understand how wood reacts to the extreme conditions in space, including exposure to intense sunlight, extreme temperatures, and the vacuum of space. This research could pave the way for more sustainable materials to be used in future space missions.
The project also hopes to inspire new ideas and applications for wood materials in space, such as building habitats on the moon or Mars.
The wooden satellite is a joint effort between Nasa, Japan’s space agency (JAXA), and Kyoto University. The project is led by Koji Murata, a researcher at Kyoto University who has been studying the use of wood materials in space. Murata and his team have tested different types of wood, such as magnolia, cherry, and birch, for their durability and resistance to temperature changes and sunlight in space. They have also sent wood samples to the International Space Station to examine their performance in orbit.
The wooden satellite will be made entirely of magnolia wood, which has small and uniform cells that make it easy to work with and less prone to splitting or breaking. The satellite will have a cubic shape, with each side measuring 10 centimeters. It will weigh about one kilogram and will carry a camera and sensors to monitor its condition and transmit data. The satellite will also have a coating to protect it from ultraviolet rays and cosmic rays.
The wooden satellite will be launched as a secondary payload on a rocket that will carry other satellites to space. The launch site and date have not been finalized yet, but the project aims to launch the satellite in 2024. The satellite will orbit the Earth at an altitude of about 500 kilometers for several months, before gradually descending and burning up in the atmosphere.
One of the key objectives of the LignoSat project is to test the viability of wood as a material for space applications. The researchers aim to understand how wood reacts to the extreme conditions in space, including exposure to intense sunlight, extreme temperatures, and the vacuum of space. This research could pave the way for more sustainable materials to be used in future space missions.
The project also hopes to inspire new ideas and applications for wood materials in space, such as building habitats on the moon or Mars.
