Japan Innovates with Wooden Satellites towards Space

Where did this idea of ​​wooden satellites come from, huh? Well, imagine this: currently, conventional satellites used by Engineering are made of metallic alloys. And right now there are hundreds or even thousands of them flying around Earth’s orbit. After they reach the end of their useful life, what do they become? Yes, space junk! Waste that is soon attracted by gravity, re-enters the atmosphere, disintegrates into metallic particles and these, in turn, put our beloved, necessary and fragile ozone layer at risk.

Japanese scientists from Kyoto University wondered if there was a chance of reducing the environmental impacts of this satellite debris falling against us. And it looks like they may have found a sustainable, ecological and quite intriguing solution. Continue reading this Engineering 360 text to find out more!

New initiative to reduce space debris problem

Look what Japanese scientists thought of: satellites made of wood! Thus, they developed the LingoSat project, a magnolia wood satellite.

Satellites made from natural materials could be a more sustainable alternative to traditional metal satellites. This is because they could be degradable. This way, we would have less space debris and environmental impacts would be reduced. Another advantage is that they, in theory, would be easier and cheaper to produce compared to metal alloys.

This innovative approach can definitely transform space exploration into a more responsible activity!

See too: Sustainable ‘Wood’ made from Rice and PVC by Braskem in Brazil

Proposal to use wood in the construction of satellites

Basically, what Japanese scientists thought about how to facilitate the “retirement process” of satellites used by science. They ended up choosing magnolia wood, after testing Erman birch and Japanese cherry. It is estimated that the device made from this material would burn during Earth reentry and naturally decompose into gas. In the end, the amount of debris would be minimal.

Wood is a resistant structural material, even to extreme conditions, without decomposition, cracking or deformation – and this has already been proven in tests carried out on the International Space Station (ISS).

Test results to verify viability

Feasibility testing of wooden satellites involved sending wood samples into space and testing their resilience in space conditions on the ISS – for example, with variations in temperature, solar radiation and cosmic rays. At the time, magnolia wood showed more uniformity in its cells, making the work easier and reducing the likelihood of cracks or breaks. The resistance was great even after prolonged exposure to the extreme environment of outer space.

Expectations and plans regarding wooden satellites

Japanese scientists at Kyoto University have high expectations that these wooden satellites will begin to be launched into space in 2024. This would happen in a joint mission between JAXA (Japanese space agency) and NASA (North American space agency) .

Today, in addition to them, the Finnish startup Arctic Astronautics is also developing a wooden satellite, called WISA Woodsat. However, the launch of the Finnish satellite was delayed by bureaucratic obstacles related to obtaining space operations licenses.

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Sources: CNN Brasil.

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