Japan To Soon Launch World's First Wooden Satellite
Image: nanosats.eu
Japanese scientists have developed one of the world's most unique spacecraft- a wooden satellite. They are planning to launch it this year
Image: nanosats.eu
The LignoSat probe is made of magnolia wood, which has been shown in studies on the International Space Station (ISS) to be highly robust and crack-resistant
Image: nanosats.eu
This will test the viability of using biodegradable materials as environmentally friendly substitutes for metals used to build satellites
Image: nanosats.eu
During the initial testing, it was discovered that wood samples had not experienced any degradation, damage or changes in mass
Image: nanosats.eu
Samples were sent to ISS where trials were conducted for a year before being sent back to Earth. There was only a little sign of damage
Image: NASA
Koji Murata, the head of the project, said that it was because there was no oxygen in space which could cause any burning
Image: JAXA
Several types of wood were tested. Wood fom magnolia trees proved to be the most effective and is now being used to build the satellite
Image: Unsplash
The satellite will contain experiments that will decide how well spacecraft perform in orbit
Image: Unsplash
The options for the launch vehicle are either a SpaceX Dragon mission or a voyage on an Orbital Sciences Cygnus supply ship to the ISS
Image: NASA
The probe, which is about the size of a coffee cup, is expected to stay in orbit for 6 months before being allowed to enter the upper atmosphere
Image: Unsplash
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Image: nanosats.eu
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