SoylentNews

looorg [soylentnews.org] writes:

https://japantoday.com/category/national/world%27s-first-wooden-satellite-developed-in-japan-heads-to-space1 [japantoday.com]

The world's first wooden satellite, built by Japanese researchers, was launched into space on Tuesday, in an early test of using timber in lunar and Mars exploration.

With a 50-year plan of planting trees and building timber houses on the moon and Mars, Doi's team decided to develop a NASA-certified wooden satellite to prove wood is a space-grade material.

Wood is more durable in space than on Earth because there's no water or oxygen that would rot or inflame it, Murata added.

The Forrest of Mars. Red Oak? Wooden Space Stations. Upside it's eco-friendly and it can't rot in space due to the lack of moisture.

"Metal satellites might be banned in the future," Doi said. "If we can prove our first wooden satellite works, we want to pitch it to Elon Musk's SpaceX."

Original Submission