Japan launched the world's first wooden satellite

The LignoSat wooden satellite is only 10cm on each side, made entirely of magnolia wood, and is expected to be launched next September.

On May 28, scientists at Kyoto University and Japan's Sumitomo Forestry logging company completed the construction of the world's first wooden satellite, called LignoSat.

This tiny satellite promises to open a new era for sustainable and environmentally friendly space exploration missions.

LignoSat has a size of only 10cm on each side, made entirely of magnolia wood - (Photo: japantimes.co.jp)

LignoSat measures only 10cm on each side, made entirely of magnolia wood. This wooden material is expected to burn up completely when the satellite re-enters Earth's atmosphere, eliminating the risk of forming metal debris that could have negative effects on the environment and telecommunications operations such as regular satellite.

Sharing at the press conference launching LignoSat, Mr. Takao Doi - astronaut and special professor at Kyoto University - said this is an important milestone marking a new step in the effort to develop satellites that do not cause harm. harmful to the environment. He believes that wooden satellites promise to become a mainstream trend in the future of the space industry.

It is expected that next September, LignoSat will be launched from Kennedy Space Center, heading to the International Space Station (ISS), using SpaceX boosters.

After separating from the Japanese experimental module on the ISS, the satellite will carry out a mission to collect data on the durability and tolerance of wooden materials in the harsh space environment.

In addition to the launch of LignoSat, May 29 also recorded another notable event in the Japanese space industry, which was the launch of the EarthCARE satellite from California.

This is a product of cooperation between JAXA and the European Space Agency (ESA). It is expected that this satellite will fly around the Earth at an altitude of 400km in the next 3 years, with the purpose of studying the role of clouds in responding to climate change.