Developed by Japanese researchers, the LignoSat satellite represents a first test of the use of wood in the exploration of the Moon and the planet Mars.
LignoSat, the world’s first satellite built of wood, was successfully launched from the Kennedy Space Center on November 4.
The satellite, built by Kyoto University in collaboration with the Sumitomo Forestry company, will arrive on board the International Space Station, and from there it will be launched into orbit 400 kilometers away from Earth, notes Noi.md with reference to .
Small as the palm of a hand, LignoSat takes its name from the Latin translation of the word wood.
It will remain in orbit for six months, during which its electronic instruments will measure the wood’s response to an extreme environment such as space, with temperatures fluctuating between -100C° below zero and 100C° above zero every 45 minutes, while the satellite orbits between darkness and light.
