The first wooden satellite launched into space

In a first for the world, scientists launched a satellite made from wood into space. As it orbits the planet from some 250 miles away, researchers will study whether wood is sturdy enough for space.

Called LignoSat, after the Latin word for wood, the satellite launched Monday night aboard a SpaceX mission bound for the International Space Station. It’ll eventually be released into orbit, where instruments will measure how the wood fares under the harsh conditions of space over six months.

“With timber, a material we can produce by ourselves, we will be able to build houses, live and work in space forever,” Takao Doi, an astronaut and professor at Kyoto University, told Reuters.

Kyoto University researchers and timber company Sumitomo Forestry started working together on the space wood project in 2020. They conducted space exposure tests from the International Space Station over more than 240 days in 2022. They settled on using Hoonoki, a type of Magnolia wood, for its “high workability, dimensional stability, and overall strength.” The wood is often used to make traditional sword sheaths in Japan because it’s resistant to shattering, Reuters reports.

The lack of water or oxygen in space protects the wood satellite from fire or decay, according to the team from Kyoto University. They’ll also test how effective the wood is at protecting semiconductors from space radiation, according to Reuters.

“If we can prove our first wooden satellite works, we want to pitch it to Elon Musk’s SpaceX,” Doi said.

They also think that wooden satellites could be a less polluting option than metal satellites that release aluminum oxide particles when they burn up during re-entry. In 50 years, Doi’s team reportedly envisions growing wood for timber homes on the Moon and Mars.