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Japanese researchers just sent the to space, . LignoSat, named after the Latin word for wood, was developed by Kyoto University and a company called Sumitomo Forestry. It was included in a SpaceX mission to the International Space Station (ISS) and will soon be released into orbit above the Earth.
Why do this? There are two main reasons. First of all, it’ll be a test as to the durability of wood when faced with the harsh conditions of space. If successful, the researchers plan on making more wooden structures and jettisoning them to the cosmos.
Kyoto University
“With timber, a material we can produce by ourselves, we will be able to build houses, live and work in space forever,” said Takao Doi, an astronaut affiliated with Kyoto University. This is the first step in a 50-year plan that includes planting trees and building actual timber houses on the moon and even Mars.
“Early 1900s airplanes were made of wood,” said Kyoto University forest science professor Koji Murata. “A wooden satellite should be feasible, too.”
For those balking at the idea of wooden structures being used in space, consider some of the benefits. The material should actually be more durable in space than on Earth because, well, the endless void doesn’t have any water or oxygen. There’s nothing to cause rot and it's very hard for it to catch fire. It even offers .
The other reason has to do with all of those other satellites in orbit. The planet’s currently , not to mention all kinds of affiliated space debris. Wooden satellites would eventually fall back down to Earth and burn up during re-entry.
Metal satellites will (mostly) burn up during the return trip, but not before creating . We don’t really have a plan in place for the entombing the planet, so this could help. Doi envisions a scenario in which “metal satellites might be banned in the future.” In any event, having a log cabin on the moon would be one heck of a good time. There's literally .
This article originally appeared on Engadget at
Console Bang News!
Why do this? There are two main reasons. First of all, it’ll be a test as to the durability of wood when faced with the harsh conditions of space. If successful, the researchers plan on making more wooden structures and jettisoning them to the cosmos.
Kyoto University
“With timber, a material we can produce by ourselves, we will be able to build houses, live and work in space forever,” said Takao Doi, an astronaut affiliated with Kyoto University. This is the first step in a 50-year plan that includes planting trees and building actual timber houses on the moon and even Mars.
“Early 1900s airplanes were made of wood,” said Kyoto University forest science professor Koji Murata. “A wooden satellite should be feasible, too.”
For those balking at the idea of wooden structures being used in space, consider some of the benefits. The material should actually be more durable in space than on Earth because, well, the endless void doesn’t have any water or oxygen. There’s nothing to cause rot and it's very hard for it to catch fire. It even offers .
The other reason has to do with all of those other satellites in orbit. The planet’s currently , not to mention all kinds of affiliated space debris. Wooden satellites would eventually fall back down to Earth and burn up during re-entry.
Metal satellites will (mostly) burn up during the return trip, but not before creating . We don’t really have a plan in place for the entombing the planet, so this could help. Doi envisions a scenario in which “metal satellites might be banned in the future.” In any event, having a log cabin on the moon would be one heck of a good time. There's literally .
This article originally appeared on Engadget at
Console Bang News!