According to a report from CNN, Japanese researchers have just sent the world’s first wooden artificial satellite into space. LignoSat is named after the Latin word for wood and was developed by Kyoto University and a company called Sumitomo Forestry. It is part of a SpaceX mission to the International Space Station (ISS) and will soon be released into orbit above Earth.
Why do we do this? There are two main reasons. First and foremost, it will be a test of wood’s durability when faced with the harsh conditions of space. If successful, the researchers plan to build more wooden structures and jettison them into space.
Kyoto University
Takao Doi, an astronaut affiliated with Kyoto University, said, “If we had a material called wood that we could produce ourselves, we would be able to build homes, live, and work in space forever.” This is the first step in a 50-year plan that includes planting trees on the moon and Mars and building actual wooden houses.
“Airplanes in the early 1900s were made of wood,” says Koji Murata, a professor of forest science at Kyoto University. “Wooden satellites may also be possible.”
If you’re thinking twice about using wooden structures in space, consider some of their benefits. Since there is no water or oxygen in infinite space, this material should actually be more durable in space than on Earth. There is nothing to cause rot and it is very difficult to ignite. It also provides pretty decent protection from radiation.
Another reason has to do with all the other satellites in orbit. The planet is currently surrounded by more than 3,000 moons, not to mention all kinds of space junk. The wooden satellite would eventually fall to Earth and burn up upon re-entry into the atmosphere.
Metallic satellites (mostly) burn up during the return trip, but not before producing harmful aluminum oxide particles. This could be helpful, since plans have not yet been made for the ever-increasing amount of space junk filling up on Earth. Mr. Doi envisions a scenario in which “metallic satellites may be banned in the future.” Either way, having a log cabin on the moon will be a lot of fun. There’s literally more shows on Apple TV+ plus stuff about it.
