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News: Last week, the world’s first satellite with wooden components was launched on a SpaceX rocket from the Kennedy Space Center, United States. It has been flown to the International Space Station (ISS). The objective is to establish wood as a space grade material.
1. Lignosat is a wooden satellite that weighs just 900 grams. It has 10cm wide panels, small plastic and silicon parts.
2. It has been built by researchers at Japan’s Kyoto University and Sumitomo Forestry, a Tokyo based logging company.
3. The goal is to test the durability of wood in the extreme environment of space.
4. Lignosat has been constructed using magnolia wood, which is known for its lightweight properties and resistance to cracking.
5. Unlike conventional satellites, which are primarily made up of aluminium, Lignosat is more environmentally friendly.
6. Its success could pave the way for use of timber as a renewable building material in future explorations of the Moon and Mars.
