NASA and Japan’s space gurus at JAXA are fusing efforts to launch LignoSat, the world’s first-ever wooden satellite, aiming to break barriers in space tech by putting forward this greener and more sustainable approach to exploring the land of ethereality-l space.
The space agencies have announced that LignoSat, a magnolia wood satellite the size of a coffee mug, should be deployed into Earth’s orbit by the summer of 2024, led by Dr. Koji Murata, a researcher at Kyoto University.
“Because wood is transparent to electromagnetic waves, possible missions would include observation of geomagnetism and attitude control using built-in sensors; and radio wave communication using built-in antennas,” Murata said.
The satellite will be shaped like a cube, with a measurement of 10 centimetres on each side, holding a weight of approximately a kilogramme, and will be transported with a camera and sensors to observe its performance and broadcast data.
For several months, the satellite will circle the planet at a height of roughly 500 kilometres before progressively falling and exploding in the atmosphere.
The green factor
So why use wood as the primary material for the satellite? Well, mostly because conventional satellites are made of materials that are lightweight and durable, like titanium and stainless steel, and are employed for parts that need to be strong. Plastic, aluminium, and other materials are used to make pieces that need special handling. So, these metals and composites are prone to leave quite a carbon footprint in space.
After a mission is completed, decommissioned satellites contribute to the escalating issue of space junk, where these particles are freely floating around in space and can remain in orbit for several years, setting up threats for other satellites and future missions.
That’s why experts have targeted wood—a renewable resource with a much smaller carbon footprint, as an option for greener practices, on a global scale, even out in space!
Wood, despite neither decomposing nor burning in the deathless expanse of space, can be a surprisingly helpful biodegradable material for upcoming satellites as it burns to fine ash upon reentry into Earth’s stratosphere.
After successfully testing experimental wood samples aboard the International Space Station (ISS) earlier this year, scientists believe the test satellite is prepared for launch.
Perks of wooden satellites
The decision to create and launch a wooden satellite is not limited to just being a tree-hugger’s dream. It goes beyond sheer symbolic indication and stretches far into substantial benefits for space travel and the environment together.
Earth’s new janitor
The researchers reported in May that they had examined three wood specimens—magnolia, cherry, and birch—in space and that despite 10 months of exposure to harsh environments, the specimens had not broken.
The specimens were exposed to strong temperature fluctuations, powerful cosmic rays, and perhaps hazardous solar particles, but they exhibited no evidence of deformation, cracking, warping, peeling, or surface damage.
Finding the ideal wood to utilise for manufacturing was the aim of this endeavour. After conducting a thorough investigation, experts came to the conclusion that magnolia is the best wood for manufacturing because it is less likely to split or break.
This just means that we no longer have to be anxious about the particles that traditional satellites emit after they’ve retired, as no more space debris will be cluttered around the cosmic backyard. “Decomposition of wood in low-Earth orbit could ultimately help reduce space junk, much like the plastic problem in land, soil, and oceans water in the Earth. Even if the wood does not burn out after re-entering the atmosphere, it may degrade over the long term and gasify due to ultraviolet rays, cosmic radiation, and atomic oxygen,” Dr. Koji Murata told SYFY WIRE.
Green inspiration
At present, space junk such as failed satellites and pieces of wasted rocket stages, along with around 9,300 tonnes (8,440 metric tonnes) of space objects, are in orbit above Earth.
However, the bright metals they are composed of—lightweight titanium and aluminium, for example—raise the total brightness of the night sky over a significant portion of the planet by more than 10%, causing ambient light pollution that impedes the detection of distant space events.
In addition to being costly, metal-hulled spacecraft are dangerous for the ISS, other human-carrying spacecraft, and, if they are large enough to survive reentry, people on Earth.
Theoretically, wooden satellites such as LignoSat should pose less of a threat to space trash, say the researchers. This project is more than just a wood and tech promoter. It inspires the next generation of space fanatics to grasp the understanding that exploring space can be done, green!
Setting the bar high
The wooden satellite is a good teaching tool and the project encourages the following generation of engineers, scientists, and conservationists. It draws attention to the significance of sustainability and innovation in space exploration and promotes a wider discussion on responsible technological development.
The launch of a wooden satellite is a first step toward the aerospace industry’s adoption of sustainable methods. It promotes an environmental responsibility culture in the space industry by pushing other space agencies and commercial businesses to investigate environment-friendly solutions in their missions.
As 2024 is not too long away, we aren’t just kicking our feet impatiently waiting for a satellite to blast off; rather, we’re seeing a groundbreaking advancement in space research that could go down in history. The wooden satellite project is an example of human inventiveness that pushes boundaries while monitoring the health of our planet.
Wooden boats were among the first used by humans to traverse oceans. It makes sense that wood would accompany us on our cosmic voyage.
(Tashia Bernardus)