Japan launches world's first wooden satellite to test wood's suitability for building space material

Japan developed a first-of-its-kind wooden satellite, LingoSat, which has been launched into space as part of a study on using timber to help reduce the creation of space junk.

A team of scientists at Kyoto University developed the satellite to burn up when it re-enters the atmosphere, which could potentially provide a way to avoid the generation of metal particles.

The LingoSat weighs just 900g and was launched aboard a SpaceX mission recently.

The satellite, installed in a special container prepared by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, “flew into space safely”, Kyoto University’s Human Spaceology Center said on Tuesday.

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Once it reaches its destination, the wooden satellite will be deployed into orbit around Earth, where it will spend six months testing the durability of timber in the harsh conditions of space.

The satellite’s wooden panels are made from magnolia wood, which is a traditional Japanese method that avoids using screws and glue.

Researchers at the Kyoto University believe wood could one day replace certain metals in space technology, with potential applications for building colonies on the Moon or Mars.

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But why wood? Well, unlike on Earth, wood is expected to endure space conditions well, as the absence of water and oxygen removes risks of rotting or combustion, noted Professor Koji Murata from Kyoto University.

However, the concept of using wood in space is not entirely new. Dr Simeon Barber from the Open University in the UK pointed out that wood, like cork, has already been used on spacecraft as a heat-resistant material during re-entry.

The Soviet Union, for example, utilised cork to help lunar rovers grip the surface.

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But Dr Barber remains sceptical that wood will solve the space junk problem, arguing that even though wood ay reduce metal contaminants, more material might need to be carried in the first place to ensure it burns up entirely on the re-entry.

Japan’s mission is just a step towards understanding the possibilities of wood in space technology, which is a sustainable option than metal

“Satellites that are not made of metal should become mainstream,” Takao Doi, an astronaut and special professor at Kyoto University, said at a press conference earlier this year.

(With inputs from agencies)