A Japanese company and Kyoto University have joined forces to develop the world’s first wooden satellites by 2023 in order to reduce space debris.
Sumitomo Forestry said it has begun research into tree growth and the use of wood in space.
The association will begin experimenting with different types of wood in extreme environments on Earth.
Space debris is becoming a growing problem as more satellites are launched into the atmosphere. Wooden satellites would burn without releasing harmful substances into the atmosphere or raining debris on the ground when they return to Earth.
“We are very concerned that all satellites re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere are burning and creating small particles of alumina that will float in the upper atmosphere for many years,” said Takao Doi, a professor at Kyoto University and a Japanese astronaut.
“The next stage of the project will be the development of the satellite engineering model, then we will manufacture the flight model,” added Professor Doi, who, as an astronaut, visited the International Space Station in March 2008. During this mission he became the first person launching a space boomerang that had been specially designed for use in microgravity.
Secret of R&D
Sumitomo Forestry, part of the Sumitomo group, which was founded more than 400 years ago, said it would work on developing wood materials that are extremely resistant to temperature changes and sunlight. The wood he uses is an “R&D secret,” a company spokesman told the BBC.
Experts have warned of the growing threat of falling space debris on Earth as more spacecraft and satellites are launched.
Satellites are increasingly used for communications, television, navigation and weather forecasting. Space experts and researchers have researched various options to eliminate and reduce space debris.
There are nearly 6,000 satellites orbiting the Earth, according to the World Economic Forum (WEF). About 60% of them have stopped working and are considered space waste.
The research firm Euroconsult estimates that 990 satellites will be launched each year in this decade, which means that by 2028 there could be 15,000 satellites in orbit.
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Threat. Space debris travels at a speed of 35,000 kilometers per hour, so it can cause considerable damage to any object it hits.