Space has welcomed an unusual guest. The first wooden satellite, LignoSat, arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) on November 5 aboard a SpaceX Dragon cargo capsule . Although modest in size, this Japanese CubeSat promises to open new avenues for sustainability in space exploration.
A satellite that promises to reduce the environmental footprint of space
LignoSat, a cube measuring just 10 centimetres on each side , was developed by Kyoto University in collaboration with Sumitomo Forestry. What makes it unique is its magnolia wood structure, a bid to reduce the environmental impact of satellites on the atmosphere . Unlike traditional metal satellites, which emit aluminium oxides as they disintegrate, LignoSat will decompose without polluting the environment.
According to Meghan Everett, NASA’s deputy chief scientist for the ISS , this initiative could transform the approach to sustainable materials in the aerospace industry. “We hope that this research will show that wood is a viable alternative,” Everett said at a conference.
LignoSat prepares for the space challenge on the ISS
Within a month, the CubeSat will be deployed from the Kibo module of the ISS , where it will face an extreme environment: temperatures between -100°C and 100°C, atomic oxygen and radiation. For six months, its structure will be monitored, and the data collected will allow the viability of wood as a space material to be assessed.
Japan-built satellite heads into space. Source: ABS-CBN News
Takao Doi, a former Japanese astronaut and now a professor at Kyoto University, expressed his enthusiasm for the project. ” If our wooden satellite passes the tests, we want to propose this technology to companies like SpaceX ,” he said.
In addition to its ecological benefits, LignoSat could have industrial implications. Kenji Kariya of the Sumitomo Tsukuba Forest Research Institute believes the mission could revitalize Japan’s timber industry, pushing its technology into new horizons.
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Source and photo: Space.com
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