If we were trying to invent a satellite that would use into orbit, wood would probably be the last material we would choose. But this certainly does not stop a new Japanese start-up company from doing just that, using a covert approach to bring trees into the outdoor space that they are not ready for. share with the world.
Yes, Sumitomo Forestry is teaming up with Kyoto University to build and create the first usable satellite on the planet built from one of Mother Nature’s most abundant resources. One reason for this neutral choice is to help reduce the cluttering of space with discarded or inoperable waste such as old rocket launchers and discarded satellite parts in the last few decades. gone.
By manufacturing wooden satellite houses, their plan would be to simply burn down and disappear in a fire of glory when they return through the Earth’s atmosphere if they ever happen to be gone.
“We are very concerned that all the satellites entering the Earth’s atmosphere are burning and forming tiny particles of alumina that will float in the upper atmosphere for several years,” explained a Kyoto University professor. Takao Doi, who went on a trip to the International Space Station in 2008. “Eventually it will affect the Earth’s environment. ”
At this stage their advanced program is still at a conceptual stage and scientists are investigating what types of wood may be in adverse conditions, including violent temperature changes and radiation explosions. . The team’s preliminary monitoring of the viability of their strategy is being closely monitored and their intended approach is kept confidential.
So this may not be such an isolated idea at all. Wood is a highly durable material made up of a pair of very strong organic polymers called cellulose and lignin. Scientists have been successful in the past by physically modifying and chemically treating wood to boost its creative strength as well, with some experiments finding that wood can be even stronger than aluminum.
With nearly 6,000 satellites orbiting the Earth’s full orbit and up to 40% currently unused, this number will not increase significantly over the next decade. A number of corporate bodies have big plans to deploy new satellite servers as broadband applications rise across the globe.
“The next step is developing the satellite engineering model, then we will manufacture the flight model,” said Dr. Doi, noting that the first model would be ready for launch. in 2023.