Context:

Japan and the US are planning to launch the world’s first wooden satellite, the LignoSat probe, into space

What is LignoSat?

• About: The world’s first wooden satellite, designed to combat space debris.
• Material: Constructed from magnolia wood (known as Hoonoki in Japanese), known for its stability and resistance to space conditions.
  • LignoStella Space Wood Project to International Space Station (ISS): To examine the endurance of three wood kinds in space: Erman’s birch, Japanese cherry, and magnolia bovate.
• Size: It is a coffee mug-size satellite.

Collaborators Behind LignoSat

• Solution: The LignoSat probe, a collaborative effort between Japan and NASA.
• Kyoto University: Academic expertise in space technology.
• Sumitomo Forestry: Industrial experience in wood utilization.
• NASA: International collaboration, highlighting the global significance of the project.

LignoSat Launch Timeline

• Launch Schedule: Planned for this summer, either on a US rocket or a SpaceX Dragon mission.
• Orbit: Approximately 400 km altitude.
• Mission Duration: A few months of operational life.

Significance of LignoSat

• Environmental Impact: Burns into ash on re-entry, leaving no harmful residues.
• Scientific Role: Equipped with sensors and cameras to study the behavior of wood in space.
• Innovation: Demonstrates the potential of wood as a sustainable material for space exploration.

The Need For Such Satellites

• Sustainability: Addresses the urgent need for eco-friendly space exploration practices.
  • It is a biodegradable material, which means it is environment friendly and the best alternative to non-biodegradable materials which can extinct in the next 2,000 years.
• Space Debris Management: Offers a solution to the growing concern of space debris.
  • Space junk is a critical problem, with millions of debris pieces threatening spacecraft and the environment.
  • According to a research at the University of British Columbia, Canada, aluminum from re-entering satellites could cause serious depletion of the ozone layer which protects the Earth from the sun’s ultraviolet radiation and could also affect the amount of sunlight that travels through the atmosphere and reaches the ground.
• Future Prospects: Lays the groundwork for more wooden satellites and a potential wooden space station under the LignoStar initiative.

About Space Junk

• Definition: Space junk is a term for the millions of pieces of debris that orbit the Earth, ranging from tiny flecks of paint to defunct satellites. 
  • These objects pose a threat to other spacecraft, as they can collide with them at high speeds and cause damage or destruction. 
  • When these objects re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere, they burn and create tiny alumina particles, which can linger in the upper atmosphere for many years and affect the environment.
• Quantum of Space Junk: More than 9,300 tons (8,440 metric tons) of space objects — including space junk such as inoperative satellites and chunks of spent rocket stages — currently orbit Earth.

Steps Taken To Tackle the Space Junk Problem

• The e.DeOrbit mission by ESA: It would seek out satellite debris in a polar orbit and capture them using nets, harpoons, robotic arms or tentacles.
• CleanSpace One nanosatellite by Swiss Space Systems: It would push debris out of orbit using a claw-like mechanism.

Legal Instruments To Regulate the Activities and Responsibilities of Space Actors

• Outer Space Treaty (1967): It establishes the principles of peaceful exploration and use of outer space, and holds states liable for any damage caused by their space objects.
• Space Liability Convention of 1972: It expands on the liability rules created in the Outer Space Treaty, and specifies the procedures for claiming compensation for damage caused by space objects.
• Rescue Agreement of 1968: It requires states to return any foreign space objects discovered in their territory to their owners, and to notify the Secretary-General of any such discovered objects

Conclusion

• LignoSat is a pioneering step towards reducing the environmental impact of space activities. It symbolizes the potential for sustainable and innovative solutions in space technology.
• It may inspire a new era of eco-conscious space exploration and debris management strategies.