Globe`s first wooden satellite gets launched into outer space


(MENAFN) The world’s first wooden satellite has been launched into space in a groundbreaking experiment to explore the potential of timber as a renewable, space-grade material. Developed by Japanese researchers, the satellite, named LignoSat, was launched aboard a SpaceX rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Tuesday. According to reports from Kyoto University's Human Spaceology Center, LignoSat arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) the same day aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule before being deployed into orbit at 400 km (250 miles) above Earth.

Weighing just 900 grams, LignoSat was created by Kyoto University and Sumitomo Forestry, a Japanese homebuilding company. The satellite's panels are made from honoki, a type of magnolia wood traditionally used for crafting sword sheaths. The design incorporated both traditional Japanese techniques and modern components, including aluminum parts and electronics, all without the use of screws or glue.

Professor Koji Murata, a forest science expert at Kyoto University, explained that wood may actually be more durable in space than on Earth, as the lack of water and oxygen prevents rot and combustion. He drew parallels with early 20th-century airplanes, many of which were made of wood, suggesting that a wooden satellite is entirely feasible.

LignoSat is set to remain in orbit for six months, during which it will measure how wood holds up in the extreme conditions of space, with temperature fluctuations ranging from -100 to 100 degrees Celsius. If successful, the team hopes to present the technology to companies like SpaceX and ultimately work toward building timber houses on the Moon and Mars, as part of a 50-year plan to plant trees and establish sustainable habitats beyond Earth.

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