Innovative Step in Space Engineering: The Use of Wood
Since the launch of Sputnik 1 in 1957, satellites have predominantly been constructed using various metals. However, a groundbreaking development is emerging from a group of Japanese scientists who believe they have discovered a viable alternative: wood. A SpaceX rocket successfully lifted off on Monday night from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, carrying the world’s first satellite model featuring wooden components. This pioneering initiative signifies a potential transformation in space engineering, blending state-of-the-art technology with traditional craftsmanship.
The satellite, designed as a wooden cube with four-inch-wide panels, incorporates a range of small plastic and silicon components. It is set to be transported to the International Space Station, where it will house an array of electronic equipment. According to Koji Murata, a professor of forest and biomaterials science at Kyoto University, the satellite is scheduled to be placed into orbit in early December.
If the mission proves successful, this invention—dubbed LignoSat, derived from the Latin term for wood, lignum—could pave the way for further applications of wood in space exploration. The concept originated in 2017 when Takao Doi, a Japanese engineer and former NASA astronaut, posed a thought-provoking question: Could a human settlement in space cultivate trees as a renewable source of building materials?
“We were contemplating how to construct structures on the Moon using wood,” Mr. Murata explained in a recent interview. However, they first needed to validate whether wood could withstand the conditions of space. The following year, Mr. Doi began drawing parallels with the early days of aviation, highlighting that many airplanes were crafted from wood nearly a century ago. “So, why not create a satellite using wood as well?” Mr. Murata pondered.
What initially started as a spontaneous idea has transformed into a serious scientific endeavor. Mr. Doi, along with a team of researchers from Kyoto University and Sumitomo Forestry, one of Japan’s oldest timber companies, embarked on a mission to identify the most suitable type of wood to be utilized in space.
