Wood in Space: A New Building Material?

Ever thought of building a house in space? Scientists are now testing if wood can handle the harsh conditions of space. A wooden satellite, named after the Latin word for wood, LignoSat, was recently sent into orbit. It will spend the next six months being exposed to space to see how it holds up. The mission is a joint effort between Kyoto University researchers and Sumitomo Forestry, a timber company. They've been working on this since 2020. They chose Hoonoki, a type of Magnolia wood, because it's strong, doesn't shatter easily, and is often used to make sword sheaths in Japan.

Space is tough on materials. There's no water or oxygen, so wood doesn't catch fire or rot like it would on Earth. The team wants to know if wood can also protect semiconductors from radiation. If it works, they might pitch the idea to SpaceX. Takao Doi, an astronaut and professor at Kyoto University, has a vision. He thinks if wood works in space, we could build homes there and stay forever. Isn't that cool?

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