04:36A wooden artificial satellite built as a part of the space-wood project led by researcher and professor at Kyoto University, Koji Murata, is set to be sent to space in September 2024.
Footage filmed on Thursday features Professor Murata teaching engineering students how to build a satellite and supervising the process. He could also be seen showing the satellite's first versions and other wooden items in his office.
"Wood is generally considered a difficult material to use. It is said to be difficult to use because it rots, burns, warps, or bends when it contains water, etc.," claimed Koji Murata, remarking that "many of the things that make wood difficult to use on the ground are no longer a problem when taken to space."
The researcher shared that he had expectations regarding what could happen to the wood in space, such as damage caused by UV rays, atomic oxygen, or fast changes in moisture content, but 'none of those things' was noticed when lumber returned from space after 10 months.
"What surprised me the most was that even in a vacuum, which wood is not usually exposed to, or under extreme temperature changes, the wood maintained its functionality without cracking or distorting significantly," expressed Haruto Yamamoto, an engineering student working on the project.
According to local media reports, the idea of using timber as a construction material material was to test if it can can act as environmentally friendly alternative to the metals from which all satellites are currently constructed.
LignoSat is made of magnolia wood, which was chosen for its strength and workability after space exposure experiments were carried out on cherry, birch, and magnolia wood chips. The satellite has been built by logging company Sumitomo Forestry and scientists of the Kyoto University.
Development on the project started in April 2020, and LignoSat's launch is scheduled to take place in September from Florida's Kennedy Space Centre to the International Space Station. According to media reports, a deployment from the Japanese Experiment Module Kibo is expected within a month after the launch.
'No longer a problem when taken to space' - Japanese researcher builds world's first timber satellite in Kyoto to be launched in autumn
A wooden artificial satellite built as a part of the space-wood project led by researcher and professor at Kyoto University, Koji Murata, is set to be sent to space in September 2024.
Footage filmed on Thursday features Professor Murata teaching engineering students how to build a satellite and supervising the process. He could also be seen showing the satellite's first versions and other wooden items in his office.
"Wood is generally considered a difficult material to use. It is said to be difficult to use because it rots, burns, warps, or bends when it contains water, etc.," claimed Koji Murata, remarking that "many of the things that make wood difficult to use on the ground are no longer a problem when taken to space."
The researcher shared that he had expectations regarding what could happen to the wood in space, such as damage caused by UV rays, atomic oxygen, or fast changes in moisture content, but 'none of those things' was noticed when lumber returned from space after 10 months.
"What surprised me the most was that even in a vacuum, which wood is not usually exposed to, or under extreme temperature changes, the wood maintained its functionality without cracking or distorting significantly," expressed Haruto Yamamoto, an engineering student working on the project.
According to local media reports, the idea of using timber as a construction material material was to test if it can can act as environmentally friendly alternative to the metals from which all satellites are currently constructed.
LignoSat is made of magnolia wood, which was chosen for its strength and workability after space exposure experiments were carried out on cherry, birch, and magnolia wood chips. The satellite has been built by logging company Sumitomo Forestry and scientists of the Kyoto University.
Development on the project started in April 2020, and LignoSat's launch is scheduled to take place in September from Florida's Kennedy Space Centre to the International Space Station. According to media reports, a deployment from the Japanese Experiment Module Kibo is expected within a month after the launch.
A wooden artificial satellite built as a part of the space-wood project led by researcher and professor at Kyoto University, Koji Murata, is set to be sent to space in September 2024.
Footage filmed on Thursday features Professor Murata teaching engineering students how to build a satellite and supervising the process. He could also be seen showing the satellite's first versions and other wooden items in his office.
"Wood is generally considered a difficult material to use. It is said to be difficult to use because it rots, burns, warps, or bends when it contains water, etc.," claimed Koji Murata, remarking that "many of the things that make wood difficult to use on the ground are no longer a problem when taken to space."
The researcher shared that he had expectations regarding what could happen to the wood in space, such as damage caused by UV rays, atomic oxygen, or fast changes in moisture content, but 'none of those things' was noticed when lumber returned from space after 10 months.
"What surprised me the most was that even in a vacuum, which wood is not usually exposed to, or under extreme temperature changes, the wood maintained its functionality without cracking or distorting significantly," expressed Haruto Yamamoto, an engineering student working on the project.
According to local media reports, the idea of using timber as a construction material material was to test if it can can act as environmentally friendly alternative to the metals from which all satellites are currently constructed.
LignoSat is made of magnolia wood, which was chosen for its strength and workability after space exposure experiments were carried out on cherry, birch, and magnolia wood chips. The satellite has been built by logging company Sumitomo Forestry and scientists of the Kyoto University.
Development on the project started in April 2020, and LignoSat's launch is scheduled to take place in September from Florida's Kennedy Space Centre to the International Space Station. According to media reports, a deployment from the Japanese Experiment Module Kibo is expected within a month after the launch.