LIGNOSAT
SATELLITE - SCI & TECH
News:
Why Nasa and Japanese
Scientists Want to Launch a Wooden Satellite into Space
What's
in the news?
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NASA
and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) are set to launch the world's
first wooden satellite into orbit as soon as 2024.
●
This innovative project, known as the
LignoSat Mission, aims to address the growing issue of space debris.
LignoSat
Satellite:
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The LignoSat satellite, named after the Latin word for wood, will be a small,
cube-shaped structure measuring approximately 10cm in diameter and weighing
around 330grams.
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It will be constructed primarily from
treated Japanese magnolia wood, a
lightweight and durable material that has been carefully selected for its
ability to withstand the extreme conditions of outer space.
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The satellite will carry a variety of
sensors and instruments designed to test the performance of wood in space and
gather data on its potential applications in future spacecraft.
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These experiments will focus on evaluating
wood's thermal conductivity, structural integrity and ability to withstand
radiation exposure.
Significance
of Wooden Satellite:
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The LignoSat Mission represents a
significant step towards mitigating the
growing problem of space debris, which poses a serious threat to both
operational spacecraft and future space exploration efforts.
●
Over the years, thousands of satellites,
rocket bodies and other fragments of human-made space junk have accumulated in
orbit, forming a hazardous cloud of debris that could potentially collide with
vital infrastructure and disrupt critical services.
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The use of wood in satellite construction
could have a number of positive impacts on the space industry.
●
In the vacuum of space, wood does not burn
or rot. However, upon re-entry into Earth's atmosphere, it will incinerate into
a fine ash.
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This makes wood a biodegradable material that is safe for the environment.
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Despite the extreme environment of outer
space involving significant temperature changes and exposure to intense cosmic
rays and dangerous solar particles for ten months, tests confirmed no
decomposition or deformations, such as cracking, warping, peeling, or surface
damage.