Sumitomo Forestry, a Japanese start-up and Kyoto University has joined hands in developing wooden satellites.
Gouri J S
credits: Sumitomo Forestry
Japan: Sumitomo Forestry, a Japanese start-up and Kyoto University has joined hands in developing wooden satellites that are expected to enter the orbit by 2023 in an effort to cut down on space junk.
Space junk collectively refers to disused satellites and other man-made debris in the orbit around the earth, accumulation of which could be hazardous to active satellites and spacecrafts.
Theory says that satellites made of wood could simply burn up upon re-entering Earth's atmosphere. The re-entering satellites burn and create tiny alumina particles which will float in the upper atmosphere for many years, which will eventually affect the environment of the earth.
According to World Economic Forum, about 6,000 satellites are orbiting the earth every moment of which 60% are space junk. Commercial companies like the SpaceX launch their own satellite constellations.
Space junk moves at an extremely high velocity of more than 22300 mph and can cause severe damages to objects if hits.
Investigations are going on about the resistance of different types of wood to the outer space conditions like extreme temperature swings and an onslaught of radiation.