The first wooden satellite was launched into space

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

The satellite, named LignoSat after the Latin word for wood, was launched Monday evening aboard a SpaceX mission bound for the International Space Station. It will eventually be sent into orbit, where instruments will spend six months measuring how the wood fares in the harsh conditions of space.

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

Researchers from Kyoto University and timber company Sumitomo Forestry began working together on the space timber project in 2020. In 2022, they conducted space tests from the International Space Station for more than 240 days. They chose to use Hoonoki, a type of magnolia wood, for its “high workability, dimensional stability and overall strength.” The wood is often used in Japan to make traditional sword scabbards because it is resistant to breakage. Reuters reports.

The lack of water or oxygen in space protects the wooden satellite from fire or decay, the Kyoto University team said. They will also test how effective the wood is in protecting semiconductors from space radiation Reuters.

“If we can prove that 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 during their reentry. Doi’s team is reportedly considering growing wood for wooden houses on the moon and Mars in 50 years.