Science Japan to test wooden satellites

"Despite the extreme environment of outer space involving significant temperature changes and exposure to intense cosmic rays and dangerous solar particles for ten months, tests confirmed no decomposition or deformations, such as cracking, warping, peeling, or surface damage," a recent Kyoto University press release said. The experiment served as a preliminary investigation for the Kyoto University-led international partnership LignoSat, which designed a wooden satellite scheduled to be jointly launched by the Japanese space agency (JAXA) and NASA sometime next year.

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京都大学が取り組む木造人工衛星 スペースX衛星がはらむ大気汚染リスクへの解となるか（秋山文野） - エキスパート - Yahoo!ニュース

京都大学と住友林業が共同で開発する「木造人工衛星」プロジェクトの宇宙での材料試験が始まる。9月にJAXAへ引き渡された木材は、12月ごろ国際宇宙ステーション（ISS）へ運ばれ、6カ月にわたって宇宙環境

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"Three wood specimens were tested and showed no deformation after space exposure," the researchers said in a statement in May. "Despite the extreme environment of outer space involving significant temperature changes and exposure to intense cosmic rays and dangerous solar particles for 10 months, tests confirmed no decomposition or deformations, such as cracking, warping, peeling or surface damage." To decide which wood to use, the scientists sent three wood samples — magnolia, cherry or birch — to the ISS to be kept in a module that was exposed to space. The researchers settled upon magnolia because it is less likely to split or break during manufacture. More than 9,300 tons (8,440 metric tons) of space objects — including space junk such as inoperative satellites and chunks of spent rocket stages — currently orbit Earth. But the shiny metals they are made from, such as lightweight titanium and aluminum, increase the overall brightness of the night sky by more than 10% over large parts of the planet, creating ambient light pollution that makes distant space phenomena harder to detect.

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Photo credit: Sujino Kenta via Asahi​

The LignoSat is made of Japanese bigleaf magnolia, and the wooden parts are directly joined using a traditional Japanese method instead of metallic or adhesive fasteners. Space is a harsh environment for satellites because the temperature fluctuates widely, and cosmic rays bombard them. However, the LignoSat passed stringent safety inspections by NASA and JAXA. The satellite will be sent to the International Space Station aboard a rocket of the private U.S. rocket manufacturer Space X in September.

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Photo credit: Kyoto University​

Dr. Simeon Barber, a space research scientist at the Open University, expressed enthusiasm for the innovative use of wood in space exploration. While acknowledging that LignoSat isn't entirely made of wood, he highlighted the potential of this renewable material for future missions. Barber noted that wood's sustainability and versatility make it a promising candidate for constructing shelters and other structures on extraterrestrial bodies. He also pointed out that wood has a history of space applications, such as its use in spacecraft re-entry shields and lunar lander components. However, he cautioned that wood's variable properties can pose challenges for precise engineering. The researchers at Kyoto University share this vision, believing that wood-based spacecraft could offer environmental benefits by reducing pollution during re-entry.

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LignoSat: First wood-panelled satellite launched into space

The tiny satellite built in Japan will test the suitability of timber as a renewable material in space.

www.bbc.com