Since Sputnik I was launched in 1957, satellites have been made with metals. Now, a group of Japanese scientists thinks it has a viable alternative: wood. A SpaceX rocket was launched Monday night from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida carrying the world’s first satellite model with wooden components, marking a potential shift in space engineering that marries cutting-edge technology with traditional craftsmanship. The satellite — a wooden cube with 4-inch-wide panels and small plastic and silicon parts — is being sent to the International Space Station carrying an array of electronics. The plan is for it to be put into orbit in early December. If successful, the invention — named LignoSat after the Latin lignum (wood) — could open the door to other uses for wood in space. Scientists were trying to think about how to build something on the moon with wood, but they needed to verify whether wood could be used in space at all. The team selected magnolia for its lightweight properties and resistance to cracking. Two master carpenters in Kyoto were enlisted to work on the satellite, which will eventually orbit the earth. Once in orbit, LignaSat’s wood will be tested for six months before it burns up in the earth’s atmosphere.
