TECH

Kyoto University and Sumitomo Forestry work together to manufacture a satellite made of wood

The zone of human influence has long extended beyond the Earth's atmosphere, so environmentalists have no hesitation in expressing their concern about both the pollution of nearer space and the problem of disposing of waste from Earth's core activities. Japanese scientists hope to launch a satellite next year with a skin made of wood, an environmentally friendly material.

As the Nikkei Asian Review explains, the joint project between Kyoto University and Sumitomo Forestry involves the creation of a satellite with a wooden box, which will not only be cheaper than aluminum, but after decommissioning it could burn in dense layers of the atmosphere. without creating excessive pollution. The permeability of the wood cladding to radio waves will allow the antenna to be placed inside, protecting it from external mechanical influences.

The satellite under development will be a wooden cube with an edge length of 100 mm, with solar panels on its edges. Of course, electronic filling cannot be dispensed with, so the satellite will not be entirely made of wood. By the way, preparations for the creation of such a satellite will include carrying out experiments to assess the wear resistance of wooden materials in the space environment outside the ISS. The corresponding works are scheduled for February this year. A plate with wood samples from various species will be attached to the ISS skin for a period of nine months to assess the impact of the spatial environment on the material samples.

Image source: Kyoto University