FP TrendingDecember 31, 2020 10:53:20 IST
A Japanese start-up business called Sumitomo Forestry has teamed up with researchers from Kyoto University, to work on a wooden satellite, it was reported BBC. Although the overall plan is at a lower level, the project aims to address the growing threat from space debris. Sumitomo Forestry is currently working on a test of the use of wood products in space and will soon be testing wood in real places on Earth. Continuing with their research, both teams plan to launch the first satellite made of wood in 2023.
An artist’s impression of the rubbish in space. Image credit: Wikipedia
The report states that wooden satellites were a better alternative than the existing ones as these would burn up after entering the atmosphere without releasing any harmful substances. . No debris is created and the risk of space debris falling back onto Earth can be reduced.
Takao Doi, a professor at Kyoto University and a Japanese astronaut, was summoned by BBC state that all the satellites currently entering the Earth ‘s atmosphere “burn and form small fragments of alumina that float in the upper atmosphere for several years”. This can be harmful in the long run, something they want to prevent by using wood as their material.
Although the company has not revealed the name of the forest for R&D purposes, they are working to develop wood products that are “highly resistant to changes in temperature and sunlight”. The report also highlighted the threat posed by spaceflight. He announces that in the coming years, more and more countries are going to add more satellites. But already of the total number of satellites orbiting our planet, about 60 percent of them are redundant according to the World Economic Forum (WEF).
Report by Technic ARS however, he said just using wood for satellites is not going to make a difference. The article cites figures that show that a lot of space debris involves augmentation or the equipment used to move the satellites into space. Even if wood is included, this number will not be affected. Although if the satellite turns off, the wood will burn completely, but this will not stop small pieces of aluminum from getting into the mix as many of them can come from the rockets.