The First-Ever Wooden Satellite Was Recently Launched Into Space
The first-ever wooden satellite, built by Japanese researchers, was recently launched into space. The project aims to use timber as a solution for sustainable space exploration, as humans create more and more space debris with their missions to other worlds.
The satellite is named LingoSat, after the Latin word for “wood,” and it was flown on an unmanned SpaceX rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to the International Space Station (ISS).
It measures just four inches on each side and is constructed mostly from honoki, a type of magnolia tree that is native to Japan.
Traditional Japanese woodworking techniques were used. No glues or screws were involved in the making of this satellite.
The creation of the world’s first wooden satellite was inspired by a critical environmental issue. Harmful metal particles from deorbiting satellites have been building up in the Earth’s upper atmosphere.
To avoid becoming space debris, decommissioned satellites must reenter the atmosphere. However, conventional metal satellites produce aluminum oxide particles upon reentry, which pose significant environmental risks.
“Spacecraft reentries are changing the upper atmosphere,” said Aaron Boley, an associate professor of astronomy and astrophysics at the University of British Columbia.
“This presents a challenge that must be addressed as humanity continues to access, explore, and use space.”
In comparison, wooden satellites would simply burn up at the end of their lives, causing less pollution. Wood can work well in space because there is no water or oxygen to rot or inflame it.
vovan – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only – pictured above is a starry night sky above a mountain range
This innovation could not have come at a better time, as the number of satellites in Earth’s orbit continues to increase.
Approximately 11,000 satellites, both active and inactive, are currently orbiting the Earth, according to the satellite tracking website Orbiting Now.
In the coming years, this number is expected to skyrocket past 100,000. SpaceX’s Starlink alone plans to launch around 40,000 satellites. Most satellites have a lifespan of roughly five years.
LingoSat incorporates some traditional aluminum structures and electronic parts, but its wooden exterior panels represent a step toward sustainability. LingoSat will stay in orbit about 250 miles above the Earth for six months.
During that time, the satellite will collect information on how the wood performs and whether it can withstand the harsh environment of space, where temperatures fluctuate from -148 to 212 degrees Fahrenheit every 45 minutes.
The satellite will also measure the wood’s ability to minimize the impact of space radiation. If LingoSat is a success in space, wooden satellites could become the new normal when it comes to space exploration.
“It may seem outdated, but wood is actually cutting-edge technology as civilization heads to the moon and Mars,” said Kenji Kariya, a manager at Sumitomo Forestry Tsukuba Research Institute. “Expansion to space could invigorate the timber industry.”
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