Chinese commercial space firm Light Year Explorer has manufactured a rocket fairing with a wooden outer skin as part of the company’s push for lower-cost, mass-produced launch vehicles.
The design of the protective shell uses low-density plywood formed into a smooth aerodynamic curve, supported by an internal metal framework to bear loads, according to the Jiangsu-based company.
“This configuration matches traditional composite fairings in key performance areas such as weight, structural rigidity, radio wave transparency and noise reduction, while reducing production costs and shortening manufacturing time markedly,” the company said in a social media post on Monday.