NASA Will Launch First Wooden Satellite, More Environmentally Friendly

Jakarta –

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) plan to launch the first wooden satellite into space. This launch is in an effort to make spaceflight more sustainable.

The satellite, called LignoSat, is made of magnolia wood. LignoSat, which is the size of a coffee cup, will be launched in 2024.

The Dangers of Metals in Outer Space

Making satellites from wood begins with aircraft materials that are considered dangerous for outer space. More than 9,300 tons of space objects, including space junk, are currently orbiting 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%. Creates ambient light pollution that makes extraterrestrial phenomena much more difficult to detect.

According to researchers, wooden satellites like LignoSat should be less dangerous than space junk.

Reasons for Using Wood

In Live Science, wood is said to not burn or rot in the lifeless vacuum of space. However, the wood will burn to fine ash when it re-enters Earth’s atmosphere.

After successfully testing their wood samples on the International Space Station earlier this year, scientists believe the test satellite is fit for launch.

“Three wood specimens were tested and showed no deformation after exposure to space,” the researchers said in a statement Live Science quoted Thursday (16/11/2023).

“Despite the extreme space environment involving significant temperature changes and exposure to intense cosmic rays and harmful solar particles for ten months, testing confirmed there was no decomposition or deformation, such as cracking, warping, peeling, or surface damage,” he continued.

To decide which wood to use, scientists sent three wood samples, magnolia, cherry or birch, to the International Space Station for storage in a module exposed to space. The researchers chose magnolia because it is less likely to break or break during manufacturing.

Watch Video “ NASA’s Largest Asteroid Sample Lands in Utah Desert“

(nir/nwk)