Japan To Launch Satellite Made of Wood In 2024 (independent.co.uk) 55
The Japanese space agency (JAXA) and NASA plan to launch a satellite made of wood in 2024. The Independent reports: The high durability of wood in space was recently tested and confirmed at the International Space Station (ISS) by an international group of scientists led by those from Kyoto University. Their experiments showed wood samples tested at the ISS for durability underwent minimal deterioration and maintained good stability. Preliminary inspection, including strength tests and crystal structural analyses, of the wood samples was also done once they were brought back to Earth from the ISS by Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata.
Despite extreme conditions in space, including temperature changes and exposure to intense cosmic rays and dangerous solar particles for 10 months, tests found no changes in the samples, such as cracking, warping, peeling or surface damage, according to a recent Kyoto University statement. The retrieved wood specimens were tested and showed no deformation after space exposure and also did not undergo any mass change before and after space exposure, scientists said.
The international research group has determined that the satellite LignoSat, slated to be jointly launched in 2024 by Nasa and Japan's space agency Jaxa, will likely use Magnolia wood -- "Hoonoki" in Japanese. Magnolia, researchers said, has relatively high workability, dimensional stability and overall strength, making its properties ideal for the mission. Wood also has some benefits compared to complex alloys used in space vehicles, as it is environmentally friendly, easier to produce and can be disposed off better at the end of a satellite's life. Such wooden satellites may also be designed to completely burn up on re-entry into the atmosphere and even if small fragments did survive, they may decompose easily.
Despite extreme conditions in space, including temperature changes and exposure to intense cosmic rays and dangerous solar particles for 10 months, tests found no changes in the samples, such as cracking, warping, peeling or surface damage, according to a recent Kyoto University statement. The retrieved wood specimens were tested and showed no deformation after space exposure and also did not undergo any mass change before and after space exposure, scientists said.
The international research group has determined that the satellite LignoSat, slated to be jointly launched in 2024 by Nasa and Japan's space agency Jaxa, will likely use Magnolia wood -- "Hoonoki" in Japanese. Magnolia, researchers said, has relatively high workability, dimensional stability and overall strength, making its properties ideal for the mission. Wood also has some benefits compared to complex alloys used in space vehicles, as it is environmentally friendly, easier to produce and can be disposed off better at the end of a satellite's life. Such wooden satellites may also be designed to completely burn up on re-entry into the atmosphere and even if small fragments did survive, they may decompose easily.
Not the. first time (Score:5, Interesting)
https://www.drewexmachina.com/... [drewexmachina.com]
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actual news (Score:5, Insightful)
That's totally irrelevant to my life and yet a fascinating, actually new piece of information. After 70+ years of SciFi filled with exotic metal alloys and plastic, who'd have thought that future space stations might be made from wood?
Cool!
Re:actual news (Score:5, Interesting)
Vincent Ward's rejected Alien 3 script was set about a wooden spaceship full of monks.
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I thought it was termites.
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Wood is nature's carbon fiber. It consists of polysaccharide fibers glued together by a phenolic matrix.
The very first artificial carbon fiber assemblies (jet engine turbine blades) were manufactured in 1968, but archaeological evidence shows humans have been using wood as a structural matieral since H erecturs, 1.5 million years ago. It makes you wonder what other ideas nature has hidden in plain sight.
Re:actual news (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:actual news (Score:4, Interesting)
When I visited the Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville Alabama they had the re-entry capsule for one of the early Jupiter missile primate missions (probably Ms. Baker's flight [wikipedia.org]) on display. Looking at the exterior heat shielding, it looked like wood to me. It was carbonized, but I can't say if that was done preflight or on reentry.
Re:actual news (Score:5, Interesting)
Very likely was wood.
Wood is an incredible heat shielding material. In some cases it's actually better to make fireproof doors from wood instead of steel!
With the right conclusions, which are predictable, and right kind of wood, also easy to determine with tests it has very useful properties. It will essentially charcoalize when exposed to heat. Charcoal, being carbon work some crap had a higher desolidification point than tungsten (tungsten had the highest melting point, but carbon sublimes). The carbon will slowly ablate and burn, but only slowly. It's also an astonishingly good insulator because charcoal is very porous.
The charcoal is also attached strongly / natively to the underlying wood, so it has high structural strength as well and doesn't easily come off. And if it does, well, it reveals more wood underneath which quickly replenishes the charcoal heat shield.
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Well said. Once the heat boils out all the volatiles out it leaves behind a naturally occurring ablative carbon foam.
One part I don't understand is the mechanical bit. When I burn wood it blows itself apart and crumbles during while boiling the volatiles out. Is that just because I have it in an oxygen rich atmosphere?
(I need to reline a furnace, and the hacker in me loves the idea of figuring out how to get wood to do the job.)
Re:actual news (Score:4, Interesting)
You're burning young wood, which is basically all sapwood. [reddit.com]
That's naturally harder to dry out properly without some structural damage, which is another reason it is not used for lumber.
Then there are knots, which again, will naturally crack the wood all on its own.
Again, making those particular parts of the tree more suitable for fuel than for lumber. Though, to be fair, most lumber today is "engineered wood" [wikipedia.org] - i.e. glued wood composite.
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They've been doing interesting stuff with engineered wood, with buildings reaching 18-25 stories. I don't know whether EM wood can be engineered for space, and if it would be worth it. The WP article described various advantages over steel & cement, but a lot of those may disappear when compared to aluminum & composites.
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The real issue is with the adhesives used - and the need for them in the first place.
I.e. It's still organic material, meaning moisture, mold, bacteria and bugs are an issue. The bigger the building the bigger the issue.
So, to avoid that, everything is basically glued and laminated with various petrochemicals.
Which can be kinda toxic, usually are a lot more flammable, requiring fire protection systems, and defeat any purpose of "building green" if that was the reason for using wood instead of steel, brick a
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I just had a fleeting vision of that scene in 2001...except that the space station is a wagon wheel!
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What about outgassing? (Score:5, Interesting)
AFAIK one important step for satellite prep is removing gasses. I'd imagine organic wood could be challenging to prepare for vacuum.
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I'd imagine organic wood could be challenging to prepare for vacuum.
If I wanted to degas wood, I'd put it under vacuum.
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that's the hardware.
The easy, redneck way is to plant beans around the base of the tree as it goes, and till them into the soil each year instead of harvesting!
OK, you may have to pay a premium to workers to tend your gassy trees, but that's never been a problem with cows . . .
Re:What about outgassing? (Score:5, Interesting)
Tech Ingredients just happened to test this a few days ago and published a video. he wood becomes significantly lighter. Enough that the vacuum testing typically done on satellites would have the additional advantage of reducing the mass of the launch payload.
And 12 ninja's attached to the outer hull (Score:3)
but an untrained observer would have a hard time to detect their presence anyway!
Waiting for the Ghibli movie. (Score:5, Funny)
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I believe you're looking for Ranma 1/2 OAV :)
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Satellite leaving its orbit is not cute. At best it wood be highly inconvenient.
Meet the Crazy Eddies (Score:3)
I hope they'll call it The Mote.
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I was thinking the Integral Trees.
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LGR (Score:4, Funny)
LGR will be pleased to hear our planet is orbited by a collection of attractive wood grain electronics.
Steampunk (Score:4, Interesting)
Ah nice (Score:1)
Wood also has some benefits compared to complex alloys used in space vehicles, as it is environmentally friendly
That'll be sure to shave of 0.000002% of the environmental footprint of building this thing & launching it atop a big freaking rocket!
Made of wood you say? A witch!! (Score:5, Funny)
Burn her! burn her!
Peasant 1: We have found a witch, may we burn her?
Vladimir: How do you known she is a witch?
P2: She looks like one!
V: Bring her forward
Woman: I'm not a witch! I'm not a witch!
V: ehh... but you are dressed like one.
W: They dressed me up like this!
All: naah no we didn't... no.
W: And this isn't my nose, it's a false one. (V lifts up carrot)
V: Well?
P1: Well we did do the nose
V: The nose?
P1:
(all: yeah, burn her burn her!)
V: Did you dress her up like this?
P1: No! (no no... no) Yes. (yes yeah) a bit (a bit bit a bit) But she has got a wart! (P3 points at wart)
V: What makes you think she is a witch?
P2: Well, she turned me into a newt!
V: A newt?!
(P2 pause & look around) P2: I got better.
P3: Burn her anyway! (burn her burn her burn!)
(king walks in)
V: There are ways of telling whether she is a witch.
P1: Are there? Well then tell us! (tell us)
V: Tell me... what do you do with witches?
P3: Burn'em! Burn them up! (burn burn burn)
V: What do you burn apart from witches?
P1: More witches! (P2 nudge P1)
P3: Wood!
V: So, why do witches burn?
(very long pause)
P2: Cuz they're made of... wood?
V: Gooood.
(crowd congratulates P2)
V: So, how do we tell if she is made of wood?
P1: Build a bridge out of her!
V: Ahh, but can you not also make bridges out of stone?
P1: Oh yeah...
V: Does wood sink in water?
P1: No
P3: No. It floats!
P1: Let's throw her into the bog! (yeah yeah ya!)
V: What also floats in water?
P1: Bread
P3: Apples
P2: Very small rocks
(V looks annoyed)
P1: Cider
P3: Grape gravy
P1: Cherries
P3: Mud
King: A Duck!
(all look and stare at king)
V: Exactly! So, logically...
P1(thinking): If she ways the same as a duck... she's made of wood!
V: And therefore,
(pause and think)
P3: A witch! (P1: a witch)(P2: a witch)(all: a witch!)
V: We shall use my largest scales.
Obligatory (Score:3)
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I am Groot!
I am Groot
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Wait, you can't do that! (Score:2)
What about Space Termites? Did you think of that Japan? Did you?!?
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Walnut veneer chic (Score:2)
New career path - satellite carver (Score:2)
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Bespoke satellite crafter.
They will grow the material in orbit (Score:2)
Big S-shaped trees orbiting in a torus of gas.
Emperor Naruhito's spaceship (Score:2)
Lol, was I the only one put to mind of how "King David's Spaceship" was designed? Made not of wood, but of what was at hand of a culture hard put to engage in spaceflight.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... [wikipedia.org]
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I *have* that book, somewhere in my living room!
(unless it's gone to orbit, that is . . .)
Wood has a (Score:2)
The fancy magnolia wood is clearly a cultural thing. Douglas Fir would be better from an engineering perspective. But, hey, you gotta make it cool so people tune in.
Very cool in a fun sort of way.
Coolest news all week (Score:2)
Totally smiling at this story. How cool is this.
A question I have is which wood works best, and is old pre industrial wood better because of slower growth or not?
To avoid misunderstanding, I mean wood from trees that grew before there was as much CO2 in the air. IIRC, there is a difference in the grain and ring size between older wood and newer wood.
Nonetheless, very interesting and neat.
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(I am not an expert.) My understanding is the slower growth/smaller growth rings of older trees was a function of growing in an unfertilized closed canopy forest and less as a function of CO2.
After wood... (Score:2)
Ok, wood, great. Sustainable. I'm still waiting for the edible satellite.
Cause of panspermia? (Score:2)
Total speculation here, but wouldn't it be wild if alien civilizations used "wood" to build their spaceships and probes and one landed on Earth millions of years ago with some dormant bacteria/microbes/seeds inside the wood that found the Earth to be a suitable place to wake up and spread.
Crack Out the Table Saw (Score:2)
I have a 120 year old, very large magnolia tree in the front yard. It's nearing the end of its life.
Maybe I should draw up plans to make a space ship with it.
Reminds me of Saga (graphic novels) (Score:4, Informative)
There was a ship made of wood that burned parts of itself as fuel (I assume it would regrow while landed, from the land itself).
Cool thing about it, in an emergency it would shield its passengers and sustain them above itself.
Freaking awesome series Saga is.
https://myreadingwritingblog.w... [wordpress.com]