Tokyo [Japan], May 29: Japanese researchers on May 28 announced that they had successfully built the world's first wooden satellite, expected to be launched by a SpaceX rocket from the US in September.
This wooden satellite, named " LignoSat ", is the result of nearly four years of development efforts by a research team at Kyoto University and Japan's Sumitomo Forestry Company, with the aim of limiting damage to the environment. environment and save costs in space development , according to Kyodo News Agency.
Wooden satellites are said to be more efficient for the environment. Once their operational life is over, the satellite will fall back into the earth's atmosphere and burn safely, unlike conventional satellites made of metal because they produces alumina particles (activated aluminum), which can adversely affect weather and communications.
The development of the latest LignoSat is an extremely valuable step forward for both the space and wood industries , and claims that it will help open up the possibility of using wood as a sustainable resource, according to the press release. Joint press report of Kyoto University and Sumitomo Forestry Company. The research team plans to explore wood's potential by analyzing data sent from the new satellite.
LignoSat is a 10 cm cube made from 4 - 5.5 mm thick magnolia wood panels, with a frame partly made from aluminium. It has solar panels surrounding it on several sides and weighs about 1 kg. LignoSat is built based on traditional Japanese techniques, without using any screws or adhesive materials.
The research team said they confirmed the durability of wooden materials even in the harsh environment of outer space. Mr. Takao Doi at Kyoto University (Japan) said: "We want to create a satellite, including the electronic platform inside the core, completely made from wood in the future."
This satellite will be transferred to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency on June 4. It will be launched by a SpaceX rocket from NASA 's Kennedy Space Center in Florida (USA).
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper