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Japanese pairing looking into using wood to build satellites
Tech Xplore ^ | December 29, 2020 | Bob Yirka ,

Posted on 12/29/2020 7:06:33 PM PST by BenLurkin

Some of the major components in most satellites include aluminum, Kevlar and aluminum alloys, which are able to withstand both temperature extremes and constant bombardment by radiation—all in a vacuum. Unfortunately, these characteristics also allow satellites to remain in orbit long after their usefulness has ended, resulting in constant additions to the space junk orbiting the planet. According to the World Economic Forum, there are currently approximately 6,000 satellites circling the Earth but only 60% of them are still in use. Some in the field have predicted that nearly 1,000 satellites will be launched into space each year over the coming decade. Considering their lifespan, this suggests there could be thousands more dead satellites orbiting the planet in the coming years. This space debris poses a significant threat to other satellites (they all travel thousands of miles per hour) and also to manned space missions. Most in the space community agree that space junk is becoming a serious problem. And there is more bad news—the aluminum used in satellites has been found to break apart when a satellite returns to Earth, creating hundreds or thousands of tiny alumina particles that wind up floating in the upper atmosphere for many years, possibly posing an environmental problem.

The major benefit of wood-based satellites is they would burn up completely when returning to Earth. But another major bonus of using wood to create the outer shell of a satellite is that electromagnetic waves would pass right through it, which means antennas could be placed inside of satellite structures, making them simpler to design and deploy. The researchers plan to look for appropriate wood candidates and then to conduct experiments to see it they could be treated to stand up to space conditions.

(Excerpt) Read more at techxplore.com ...


TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: debris; japanese; satellites; spacedebris; wood
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To: blueplum

21 posted on 12/29/2020 8:48:16 PM PST by algore
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To: BenLurkin

Gonna be tough to get over the out gassing problems with wood in the space environment.


22 posted on 12/29/2020 9:04:01 PM PST by rdcbn1
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To: lee martell

About the size of a PT BOAT, right?


23 posted on 12/29/2020 9:19:16 PM PST by ProtectOurFreedom ("Inside Every Progressive Is A Totalitarian Screaming To Get Out" -- David Horowitz)
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To: ProtectOurFreedom

Pretty near that size.


24 posted on 12/29/2020 10:18:47 PM PST by lee martell
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To: lee martell

Lee, as I recall my environmental cleanup cases concerning shipyards, the wooden minesweepers were made specifically for use in areas where there were magnetic mines (mainly in the Pacific but possibly in Europe to some extent).


25 posted on 12/29/2020 10:33:59 PM PST by MadMax, the Grinning Reaper
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To: BenLurkin

Question to our space scientists and program-planners. Why can’t we capture dead satellites (depending on their size) and return them to earth? They would be worth a fortune for both museums/governments to have for public display, as well as for a few wealthy people who want to own something that actually flew/worked in outer space.

I have 4 small pieces of wire or insulation from all 4 space shuttles of the 1980’s - Endeavour - shuttle orbiter payload bay liner; Spacelab - wiring; Atlantis - Payload bay liner; Columbia - Payload bay liner; Discovery - wire.

Add to this a Tektite from Thailand and a tiny piece of a meteorite, signed photographs and cards from US and Soviet astronauts, my grandchildren will have something very unique that came from or was flown in outer-space. To me, as a kid raised during the birth of the US space program in the 1950’s (with relatives who worked on the Vanguard Project and Coca Beach operations), I would have loved to have had something from space on my bookcase.

Also, by capturing dead satellites and returning then to earth, we would be cleaning up the “environment”. It’s a Win-Win situation for everyone.


26 posted on 12/29/2020 10:44:15 PM PST by MadMax, the Grinning Reaper
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To: BenLurkin

The increase in space junk and related materials slowly shade us from the sun, thus reversing global warming.

We’re saved!


27 posted on 12/29/2020 10:55:19 PM PST by Nachoman (Following victory, its best to reload.)
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To: MadMax, the Grinning Reaper

They are working on it:

https://clearspace.today

and

https://www.surrey.ac.uk/surrey-space-centre/missions/removedebris


28 posted on 12/29/2020 10:57:58 PM PST by Drago
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To: Drago

That is what my wife says about the dinning room, living room, my office, some of the bedroom and the basement.

She has matches!!

Thanks for the links. I had heard of this earlier but no one seemed to take it too seriously. I do. My wife says I’m the best “junk” collector she’s ever seen. Maybe I can get a job now (since Covid knocked out the one I had for 28 years. Besides, a small Vanguard satellite (III) would fit nicely on our piano top.)


29 posted on 12/29/2020 11:13:19 PM PST by MadMax, the Grinning Reaper
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To: Drago

Looks like a modified scene from “Moonraker” or the largest space spider I’ve ever seen. I would prefer the movie’s “catcher”.


30 posted on 12/30/2020 12:13:34 AM PST by MadMax, the Grinning Reaper
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To: blueplum

Don’t forget the “Wooden Wonder”, the de Havilland Mosquito.


31 posted on 12/30/2020 12:17:28 AM PST by oldvirginian (The glass isn't half full, it's half empty because the damned thing is cracked and leaking)
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To: MadMax, the Grinning Reaper

You’re correct, at least in my case. We were based in Charleston, S.C. I got to see many countries and conditions, starting with Subic Bay in Phillipines.


32 posted on 12/30/2020 4:28:43 AM PST by lee martell
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To: headstamp 2

My last house ha 90 year old wood gutters. In perfect shape.

The ancestors really knew how to choose the correct wood for the application.


33 posted on 12/30/2020 4:38:08 AM PST by Chickensoup (Voter ID for 2020!! Leftists totalitarian fascists appear to be planning to eradicate conservatives)
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To: algore

For a very short period of time wood was used in making cars...

Any idea of how wood functions in a car accident? Ever had a splinter in your finger? Let’s stay with metals for moving people...

Wood satellites? Brilliant...


34 posted on 12/30/2020 4:45:51 AM PST by GOPJ (Our culture is starting to push thugs to the top - it's the kiss of death for an advanced culture.)
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To: algore

thank you! I’ve never seen a wood bicycle before - very cool!


35 posted on 12/30/2020 5:41:38 PM PST by blueplum ("...this moment is your moment: it belongs to you... " President Donald J. Trump, Jan 20, 2017) )
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To: BenLurkin

Carrier?


36 posted on 12/30/2020 9:38:18 PM PST by Ozark Tom
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