A team of scientists from “Kyoto University” and the Japanese logging startup Sumitomo Forestry have claimed by conducting research that Wood It is very durable in the earth’s orbit. For this purpose, they plan to send the first wooden satellite into space next year.
In March last year, the team, in collaboration with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), sent three types of wood to the International Space Station (ISS) to conduct experiments on the flexibility of wood in Earth orbit. Koji Miurata, the main leader of this research from Kyoto University, said at the time:
“Wood’s ability to withstand the simulated conditions of Low Earth Orbit, or LEO, has surprised us. “We now want to investigate whether the effects of the harsh LEO environment on organic matter can be accurately measured.”
The launch of the first wooden satellite next year
They then sent the sticks to the International Space Station and stored them in Japan’s Kibo module for almost 10 months. The results of this research have just been published and it appears to have been a great success. Following this success, scientists announced in their press release that the first wooden satellite will be launched into Earth orbit next year.
According to the scientists, a type of wood known as “magnolia” was the most resistant sample in space and “no decomposition or deformation such as cracking, warping or surface damage” was observed during the test. Also, there was no change in the weight of the returned sample. Considering the level of temperature and radiation in the earth’s orbit, this result is considered a very remarkable feat.
Satellites are used in various fields from military applications to providing high-speed internet. However, the current satellites cause great concern for the internal and external environment of the earth.
Like many spacecraft, satellites become space junk after they are decommissioned, and when they re-enter Earth’s atmosphere, they are fueled by aluminum, creating new holes in the ozone. Recently, it was said that Starlink’s second generation V2 Mini satellites are falling from orbit. Despite these concerns, building and launching wooden satellites can be the best solution to solve this group of problems.
