World's First Wooden Satellite: NASA, JAXA To Launch LignoSat, Pioneering Sustainable Space Exploration by Summer 2024

Decades of envisioning the future with aluminum rockets and steel skyscrapers are being challenged by Koji Murata, a Kyoto University researcher. Curious about the feasibility of constructing a wooden habitat on the Moon or Mars, Murata initiated an experiment: crafting a wooden satellite.

Now, NASA and JAXA are collaborating in a groundbreaking initiative that uses wood as the main material for a small satellite called LignoSat with a major environmental mission. The departure of the mug-size satellite to space will mark a departure from traditional satellite materials, prioritizing eco-friendly space exploration.

Choosing the Right Wood

Heading the space-wood initiative at Kyoto University, Murata champions wood as an ideal material for space structures. Unlike on Earth, where wood faces issues like burning, rotting, and deformation, these problems are nonexistent in space due to the absence of oxygen and living organisms.

Murata highlights that wood's strength-to-weight ratio matches that of aluminum, making it a compelling choice for space construction. Tests at the International Space Station confirmed wood's resilience in the challenging outer space environment, showing no deformation or damage after ten months of exposure to temperature variations, cosmic rays, and solar particles.

Their team's satellite project involved testing three wood types: Erman's birch, Japanese cherry, and magnolia obovata. While cypress and cedar are more common for construction, the team prioritized materials that could withstand detailed work, given the small size of the satellites.

Magnolia wood emerged as the preferred choice due to its resistance to splitting or breaking during manufacturing. The uniform size of magnolia wood cells made it easier to work with and less prone to splitting or breaking, ultimately securing its selection for the satellite.

World's First Wooden Satellite Promotes Sustainability

Recent findings from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) underscore a concerning reality: 10% of atmospheric aerosols in the stratosphere harbor metallic particles sourced from spacecraft, including satellites. This revelation sparks worry among scientists regarding the potential long-term repercussions on Earth's vulnerable ozone layer.

Murata asserts that wooden satellites can deliver equivalent functionality to their metal counterparts while presenting a more eco-friendly option.

Moreover, he emphasizes a key divergence in the fate of wooden satellites like LignoSat compared to their metal counterparts: upon re-entry into the atmosphere at the end of their life cycle, wood combusts, transforming into gas, whereas metal satellites disperse fine particles.

The pursuit of wooden satellites is not a mere conceptual endeavor; Murata's team has dedicated four years to the project, subjecting wood samples to space resilience tests in 2021. In collaboration with JAXA and NASA, they intend to launch the prototype satellite, LignoSat, into orbit in the early months of the coming year.

This endeavor aligns with escalating concerns over the proliferation of satellites in space, with NOAA projections indicating that up to half of stratospheric atmospheric aerosols could contain metallic particles from spacecraft in the ensuing decades.

Beyond Murata's efforts, other entities, such as the Finnish startup Arctic Astronautics and aerospace engineer Yarjan Abdul Samad at Khalifa University, explore the viability of wood and alternative materials in space, presenting encouraging prospects for sustainable space exploration.

Despite the potential advantages, uncertainties persist regarding the use of wood in space structures, prompting experts to underscore the imperative of further research and safety considerations.

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