Japan launches the world’s first wooden satellite LignoSat into space

The first wooden satellite, built by Japanese researchers, has begun its journey into space. LignoSat, created through a collaboration between Kyoto University and Sumitomo Forestry, was launched aboard a SpaceX mission and will orbit 400 km above Earth and orbit the planet for six months. The satellite, made from honoki wood – a species of magnolia native to Japan – will test the viability of wood as a sustainable material in the harsh conditions of space, including temperature fluctuations between -100 and 100 degrees Celsius. This mission marks a potential breakthrough in the use of renewable materials for space exploration.

Proving the potential of wood in space

LignoSat is a compact satellite the size of a palm, built without screws or glue, using traditional techniques Japanese woodworking techniques. The project is led by Takao Doi, a former astronaut and now professor at Kyoto University. Doi believes wood could serve as a building material for future space exploration and possibly settlements on the moon and Mars. Unlike metals that produce aluminum oxide as they re-enter the atmosphere, wood has minimal impact on the environment because it simply burns up. If successful, LignoSat could change the way we think about satellite manufacturing, potentially leading to a shift away from metals in satellite design.

Striving for sustainability in space

Researcher Kenji Kariya of the Sumitomo Forestry Tsukuba Research Institute highlights the satellite’s design as a demonstration of the durability of wood under extreme conditions. The mission will also assess wood’s ability to reduce radiation impact on semiconductors – an important factor for potential applications in data centers and other technology that requires radiation protection. Koji Murata, professor of forest sciences at Kyoto University, notes that while wood was once commonly used in aircraft from the early 20th century, its application in space is unprecedented and could represent a new frontier for the timber industry as the humanity moves further into space.