Japanese company aims to put wooden satellite in orbit – and it’s working on a wooden skyscraper, too

Sumitomo Forestry has teamed up with Kyoto University for the space project, with hopes to launch it in 2023

The firm is also planning a US$5.8 billion Tokyo skyscraper built primarily of wood, to be completed by 2041

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Satellites made of wood would help reduce space junk around the Earth. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 6:44pm, 30 Dec 2020Updated: 9:04pm, 30 Dec 2020

A leading Japanese timber company has teamed up with Kyoto University to unveil the world’s first satellite made primarily out of wood – although an aerospace analyst says the project faces some significant technological challenges even before it leaves the ground.

Sumitomo Forestry is working with researchers at the university on a satellite they hope to launch in 2023. In a statement, Sumitomo also said it hoped the project would enable the company to develop new technologies that used different types of wood in more extreme environments on Earth.

The scientists are working on wood-based materials and coatings that will make the satellite resistant to the extreme temperatures found in outer space, and exposure to sunlight.

A wooden satellite is likely to be lighter than one made of aluminium or other alloys – a significant issue since weight is critical to the expense of any space launch. A satellite made of wood may also be cheaper to produce, while it would also burn up far more readily as its orbit degrades and it nears re-entry to the Earth’s atmosphere, reducing space junk.

Japan plans to launch the wooden satellite in 2023. Photo: Kyoto University/ Sumitomo Forestry

“It’s an interesting idea, but there are tremendous challenges associated with getting a satellite made of the best conventional materials into space and functioning,” said Lance Gatling, a Tokyo-based aerospace analyst.

“One of the biggest problems that they are going to face is controlling the heat. Wood does not conduct heat well or uniformly and it will be interesting to see how they manage the structural degradation of the wood at intense temperatures.”