A Japanese company and Kyoto University have joined forces to develop the world’s first wood satellites by 2023 with the goal of reducing space debris.
Sumitomo Forestry said it has begun research on the growth of trees and the use of wood materials in space.
The association will experiment 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. The 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 the satellites entering Earth’s atmosphere will burn out and create tiny alumina particles that will float in the upper atmosphere for years to come,” Takao Doi, a science professor, told the BBC. Kyoto University and Japanese astronaut.
“The next phase of the project will be to develop the technical model of the satellite, then we will manufacture the flight model,” added Professor Doi, who visited the International Space Station in March 2008 as an astronaut. During this mission he became the first person. launching a boomerang into space specially designed for use in microgravity.
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Sumitomo Forestry, part of the Sumitomo Group, which was founded more than 400 years ago, said it would work to develop wood materials that are highly resistant to changes in temperature and sunlight. The wood it uses is an “R&D secret,” a company spokesman told the BBC.
Experts have warned of the growing threat of space debris falling to Earth as more spacecraft and satellites are launched.
Satellites are increasingly used for communication, television, navigation and weather forecasting. Space experts and researchers have explored several options for removing and reducing space debris.
According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), nearly 6,000 satellites orbit the Earth. About 60% of them no longer work and are considered space junk.
Research firm Euroconsult estimates that 990 satellites will be launched every year this decade, meaning that by 2028 there could be 15,000 satellites in orbit.
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Threat. Space junk travels at a speed of 35,000 kilometers per hour, so it can cause significant damage to any object it hits.