The first wooden satellite, built by Japanese researchers, has embarked on its journey to space. Created by a collaboration between Kyoto University and Sumitomo Forestry, LignoSat was launched aboard a SpaceX mission and will orbit 400 km above Earth, circling the planet for six months. The satellite, crafted from honoki wood—a type of magnolia native to Japan—will test the viability of wood as a sustainable material in the harsh conditions of space, which include temperature swings between -100 and 100 degrees Celsius. This mission marks a potential breakthrough in the use of renewable materials for space exploration.

Proving Wood’s Potential in Space

LignoSat is a compact, palm-sized satellite constructed without screws or glue, using traditional Japanese woodworking techniques. The project is led by Takao Doi, a former astronaut and now a professor at Kyoto University. Doi believes wood could serve as a core building material for future space exploration and possibly for lunar and Martian settlements. Unlike metals that produce aluminium oxide during atmospheric re-entry, wood has a minimal environmental impact as it simply burns up. If successful, LignoSat could change the way we think about satellite production, possibly leading to a shift away from metals in satellite design.

Aiming for Sustainability in Space

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