The LignoSat is made of magnolia wood and will come onto the market in 2024. 
Mariela de Diego hit Argentina with meteors December 16, 2023 2:00 p.m. 5 min
NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) are preparing the ground for a launch that will mark a milestone in the history of space exploration: the world's first wooden satellite.
Called LignoSat, This revolutionary coffee cup-sized satellite is made from magnolia wood and is expected to launch into Earth orbit in mid-2024.
The initiative aims to promote the sustainability of space travel for one simple reason: becauseThere are currently more than 11,000 tons of space objects, including non-functional satellites and rocket fragmentsorbiting the earth.
“There are currently around 10,590 satellites in orbit around the Earth, of which around 8,800 are still in operation,” reports the German agency DW. This space debris increases light pollution and makes observation more difficult distant space phenomena.
The construction of LignoSat is being carried out by American and Japanese scientists under the coordination of Kyoto University for the joint mission of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and NASA.
Looking for solutions to this growing problem, Scientists thought of a biodegradable material like wood. In this case, the base material, magnolia wood, has already proven to be suitable for use in space.
Does not burn, rot or deform
Unlike other materials Wood does not burn or decompose in the vacuum of space, but is burned upon re-entry into the atmosphere terrestrial and forms a fine ash. This makes it an effective biodegradable alternative for future satellites.
The selection of the type of wood was careful. Since 2020, the launch date of the LignoStella Space Wood project, space exposure tests on various types of wood have been carried out for more than 290 days in the Japanese Kibo experimental module of the International Space Station (ISS).
Pieces of magnolia, cherry and birch were exposed to the extreme conditions of spacesuch as temperature changes, cosmic rays and intense solar particles.
Scientists came to the conclusion Magnolia is the most resilient as it shows no signs of transformation, deformation or superficial damage after ten months of exposure. In addition, it proved to be more durable when manufactured.
“There are problems with combustion, rotting and deformation when using wood on Earth, but these problems do not exist in space: There is no oxygen in space, so it doesn't burn, and no living things live there, so it doesn't rotKoji Murata, a researcher at Kyoto University, told CNN.
This innovative approach aims to reduce the growing amount of metal objects and space debris which contribute to light pollution of the Earth's atmosphere and pose a danger to the ISS and other spacecraft.
The introduction of biodegradable satellites such as LignoSat offers a promising alternative that is potentially less harmful and less expensive to produce.
Ahead of the planned launch in 2024, researchers are studying material degradation mechanisms at the nanometer level. Their findings could lead to more robust wood materials for new space applications.
The launch of LignoSat will be an important step towards a more sustainable and less invasive space future for our terrestrial environment.