Japan builds the world’s first wooden satellite

LignoSat, a combination of the words ligno, a prefix meaning wood, and sateliteis the result of about four years of research by Kyoto University and the Sumitomo Forestry company, with the aim of creating a satellite that is more environmentally friendly and at a lower cost.

The small CubeSat satellite has successfully passed rigorous safety inspections carried out by NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), marking the first time that a wooden satellite has been approved for use. in the space.

“Conventional satellites generate alumina particles during combustion, which can have a negative impact on Earth’s climate and communications. Since wood burns when it re-enters the atmosphere, this impact is expected to be reduced.”the educational center said in a statement.

The University considers that this is a step “extremely valuable” for the space and wood industries and “It will help open the possibilities of using this material, a sustainable resource.”

Built using the traditional Japanese carpentry method, whereby no screws or adhesive are used, LignoSat is a 10-centimeter cube made from 4 to 5.5 millimeter-thick magnolia wood panels, with a frame partially constructed of aluminum. .

It also has solar panels placed on some sides and weighs approximately 1 kilogram.

“In the future we would like to create a satellite, including the electronic substrate part (inside), made entirely of wood,” said Takao Doi, an astronaut who works as a professor for a program at Kyoto University.

The satellite will be delivered to JAXA on June 4 and launched, possibly in September, from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida (United States), bound for the International Space Station, on a SpaceX ship.

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