On November 5, 2024, Japan’s wooden satellite went up into space aboard an unmanned SpaceX rocket to test timber for space exploration.
Kyoto University and Sumitomo Forestry developed the satellite and named it LignoSat, after the Latin word for “wood.”
READ: Could wooden satellites work in space?
It uses material from the magnolia tree, which samurai warriors have used for their sword sheaths. Soon, it could be the key to environmentally friendly satellites.
How did Japan create a wooden satellite?
Inquirer Tech initially reported on LignoSat in 2023, when it shared a statement from space-wood project head Koji Murata.
He told CNN wood was an obvious choice for space structures. “When you use wood on Earth, you have the problems of burning, rotting, and deformation,” he said.
“In space, you don’t have those problems. There is no oxygen in space, so it doesn’t burn. No living creatures live in them, so they don’t rot,” Murata added.
He tested three wood types: Erman’s birch, Japanese cherry, and magnolia obovata. The first is common in East Asia, and the others are native to Japan.
Murata’s team “chose materials that could withstand as much detailed work as possible because of the small size of the satellites.”
Eventually, they chose magnolia wood because engineers can easily work with the material.
It’s unlikely to split or break and allows electromagnetic waves to pass through. Consequently, a magnolia satellite could house conventional orbital antennas.
Why launch a wooden satellite into space?
“JAXA hopes for lighter, stronger structural materials that are less likely to generate debris and is conducting research to achieve this goal,” said JAXA engineer Tatsuhito Fujita.
People have launched numerous satellites over the years, leaving behind massive amounts of space debris.
The Conversation news website said we’ve left roughly 23,000 objects larger than four inches or 10 cm and 100 million pieces of debris larger than 0.04 inches or 1 mm.
These minuscule bits of debris could accelerate at 24,140 km/h, 10 times faster than a bullet. Consequently, a paint fleck could tear spacesuits and destroy astronaut equipment.
Also, NASA scientist Donald Kessler warned space debris may accumulate and obstruct future satellite launches.