On Tuesday, the world's first wooden satellite, the LignoSat, was launched into space in an effort to test the use of timber in lunar and Mars exploration. While the use of wood in space may appear to be a step back in technology, it is hoped to prove a step forward.
The wooded satellite was built by Japanese researchers at Kyoto University and homebuilder Sumitomo Forestry. The small satellite will be flown on a SpaceX mission to the International Space Station, and from there, it will be released into orbit some 250 miles above Earth.
"It may seem outdated, but wood is actually cutting-edge technology as civilization heads to the moon and Mars. Expansion to space could invigorate the timber industry." - Kenji Kariya , a manager at Sumitomo Forestry Tsukuba Research Institute"
After a 10-month experiment on the International Space Station, it was found that honoki is the most suitable wood for spacecraft. Honoki wood is traditionally used in Japan to make sword sheaths. LignoSat was built using traditional Japanese methods without glue and screws.
It is a NASA-certified wooden satellite aiming to prove that wood is a space-grade material. The researchers point out that wood is more durable in space than on earth, thanks to the lack of water and oxygen - meaning it will not rot or burn in space.
LignoSat is expected to stay in orbit for six months. Its onboard sensors will measure how the wood endures the extremes of space (where temperatures fluctuate between -100 and 100 degrees Celsius every 45 minutes). Additionally, it will provide insight into wood's ability to reduce the impact of space radiation on semiconductors.
According to Reuters, the diminutive LignoSat's mission is to "demonstrate the cosmic potential of renewable material as humans explore living in space." It is part of a 50-year plan to plant trees and build timber houses on the moon and Mars.
The wooded satellite was built by Japanese researchers at Kyoto University and homebuilder Sumitomo Forestry. The small satellite will be flown on a SpaceX mission to the International Space Station, and from there, it will be released into orbit some 250 miles above Earth.
"It may seem outdated, but wood is actually cutting-edge technology as civilization heads to the moon and Mars. Expansion to space could invigorate the timber industry." - Kenji Kariya , a manager at Sumitomo Forestry Tsukuba Research Institute"
After a 10-month experiment on the International Space Station, it was found that honoki is the most suitable wood for spacecraft. Honoki wood is traditionally used in Japan to make sword sheaths. LignoSat was built using traditional Japanese methods without glue and screws.
It is a NASA-certified wooden satellite aiming to prove that wood is a space-grade material. The researchers point out that wood is more durable in space than on earth, thanks to the lack of water and oxygen - meaning it will not rot or burn in space.
LignoSat is expected to stay in orbit for six months. Its onboard sensors will measure how the wood endures the extremes of space (where temperatures fluctuate between -100 and 100 degrees Celsius every 45 minutes). Additionally, it will provide insight into wood's ability to reduce the impact of space radiation on semiconductors.
According to Reuters, the diminutive LignoSat's mission is to "demonstrate the cosmic potential of renewable material as humans explore living in space." It is part of a 50-year plan to plant trees and build timber houses on the moon and Mars.
