The LignoSat Probe

Blog Credit: Trupti Thakur

Image Courtesy: Google

LignoSat Probe – World’s First Wooden Satellite 

 

NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) are planning to launch the world’s first wooden satellite called the LignoSat probe into space to make space flight more sustainable.

The mention of magnolia, birch, or cherry wood often evokes thoughts of furniture, yet Japanese researchers have unveiled an unexpected application for wood. In a joint effort between the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and NASA to enhance spaceflight sustainability, they are set to launch the world’s first wooden satellite, named LignoSat, into Earth’s orbit by summer 2024.

Crafted from magnolia wood and resembling a coffee mug in size, this innovative satellite offers numerous advantages. Wood proves to be lightweight, sturdy, durable, and biodegradable, avoiding burning or rotting in space. Unlike metal satellites, wooden ones, like LignoSat, disintegrate into fine ash upon reentry, mitigating the issue of space junk. Additionally, wood is more cost-effective compared to traditional satellite materials such as titanium and aluminum.

Despite wood’s susceptibility to moisture damage, researchers conducted successful tests with three wood samples aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for ten months, revealing no deformation, decomposition, or damage. This suggests that magnolia wood is well-suited for satellite use.

The project aims to pave the way for incorporating wood into various space applications. The launch of LignoSat signifies a promising stride toward developing more sustainable spacecraft, potentially revolutionizing space exploration.

Beyond LignoSat, NASA and JAXA are engaged in several initiatives to enhance spaceflight sustainability, including the exploration of cleaner rocket fuels and more efficient spacecraft designs. The vision extends to a future where wood becomes a pivotal material in crafting a range of spacecraft, from satellites to space stations and even spaceships.

 

About LignoSat

• Lignosat is a coffee mug-sized satellite which is made of magnolia wood, and is set to launch into Earth orbit by the summer of 2024.
• Wood doesn’t burn or rot in the lifeless vacuum of space, but it will turn into fine ash upon re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere, making it a surprisingly useful, biodegradable material for future satellites.
• After successfully testing their wood samples on the International Space Station (ISS) earlier this year, scientists believe the test is suitable for satellite launch.
• “Three wood samples were tested and showed no distortion after exposure to space,” the researchers said in a statement in May. “Despite significant temperature changes in the extreme environment of outer space and exposure to intense cosmic rays and dangerous solar particles for up to 10 months, tests revealed no disintegration or deformation, such as cracking, warping, peeling or cracking of the surface.”
• Scientists sent three samples of wood – magnolia, cherry or birch – to the ISS which was placed in a module and exposed in space. The researchers decided on magnolia because it is less likely to crack or break during construction

Importance of wooden satellite

• More than 9,300 tons (8,440 metric tons) of space objects – including space junk such as defunct satellites and fragments of spent rocket stages – currently orbit Earth.
  • But the shiny metals they are made of, such as lightweight titanium and aluminum, increase the overall brightness of the night sky by more than 10% across large parts of the planet, creating ambient light pollution that obscures distant space events. It becomes difficult to find out.
• Spacecraft made of metal are also expensive and pose a threat to the ISS, other spacecraft carrying humans and – if they are large enough to survive reentry – people on Earth.
• According to researchers, wooden satellites like LignoSat should theoretically be less harmful as space junk.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is an autonomous agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government.
• Established in 1958
• Founder: Dwight D. Eisenhower
• Founded: 29 July 1958, United States
• Headquarters: Washington, D.C., United States

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) 

• The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is designated as the main executive organization that technically supports aerospace development and utilization for the Japanese government.
• JAXA continuously conducts activities related to aerospace sectors from basic research and development to applications.

 

 

Blog By: Trupti Thakur