Japanese university is working on wooden satellites to reduce space debris

Kyoto University is working with Japanese woodworking company Sumitomo Forestry on wood-made satellites. The two sides argue that wooden satellites are safer because they completely burn up in the atmosphere when they fall back to Earth.

Sumitomo Forestry is now investigating which woods would be best suited for use in space and which materials could replace them, according to the BBC. The company mainly examines which wooden materials can withstand temperature fluctuations and sunlight. Wood would have the advantage that it does not block electromagnetic waves and the earth’s magnetic field. Antennas and attitude control mechanisms could therefore be placed in the wooden satellite, which would make for simpler constructions.

The biggest advantage of wood, however, is that when the satellite returns to Earth, it burns up in the atmosphere without releasing harmful substances or space debris on Earth, the two parties argue. Takao Doi, a professor at Kyoto University, says he is particularly concerned about the tiny aluminum particles that are now released into the atmosphere when satellites return. These float in the upper atmosphere of the atmosphere for several years, according to Doi. Doi traveled to the ISS as an astronaut in March 2008.

The university and Sumitomo hope to launch the first wooden satellite in 2023. In March 2024 they want to investigate whether larger wooden structures are possible in space, writes Nikkei Asia. The two parties do not want to report which types of wood are used.