Photography And Half-Thoughts By Mitchell Hegman

...because some of it is pretty and some of it is not.

Friday, November 15, 2024

Wood in Space

Recently, an unusual box-like satellite named LignoSat hitched a ride into space aboard an unmanned SpaceX rocket launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. LignoSat is small, measuring a mere 4 inches across, but its most remarkable feature is that it is the first satellite constructed of wood.

After arriving at the International Space Station, the satellite will be released into outer space about a month later to test its strength and durability. Data transmitted from the satellite will allow researchers to monitor for signs of strain and determine whether the wooden structure can withstand the extreme temperature fluctuations of space.

Ultimately, LignoSat will re-enter Earth's atmosphere, and its Japanese developers expect the wooden material to burn up completely—potentially offering a way to avoid generating metal particles when retired satellites return to Earth. These particles could interfere with telecommunications and negatively impact the environment. In the future, researchers anticipate that most satellites may no longer be constructed of metal.

I find it particularly fascinating, if not outlandish, that our latest technological innovation in space science is a box made of wood.

LignoSat Satellite

—Mitchell Hegman

SOURCE: news.yahoo.com

No comments:

Post a Comment