The United States Space Agency (NASA) and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) planned to jointly build the world's first wooden satellite, IgnorAnt, into space to improve flight stability. The coffee cup-sized satellite is made of magnolia wood. is planned to enter Earth orbit in the summer of 2024, the agency confirmed. Known for its resistance to burning or rotting in a vacuum, wood has a particular advantage in that it turns into fine ash when re-entered into the Earth's atmosphere, making it a very useful and biodegradable material. Following the successful testing of a wooden model of the International Space Station (ISS) earlier this year, scientists are ready for the launch of the satellite device.
The researchers tested three wood samples (magnolia, cherry or birch) exposed to the stress of the external environment. A report published in May reported that wood samples did not deform after ten months of exposure despite changes in temperature, hot cosmic rays and solar radiation. Inspection verifies the absence of any separation or deformation such as cracking, warping, peeling or surface damage. To determine the most suitable trees, scientists sent magnolia, cherry and birch tree samples to the International Space Station and placed them in space to see the samples. Magnolia is preferred for its flexibility and is less likely to crack or break during production.
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