World's First Wooden Satellite Built In Japan Heads To Space

The world's first wooden satellite was launched into space on Tuesday. The satellite dubbed LignoSat, built by Japanese scientists, was launched as part of an early trial to test the use of timber in future Moon and Mars missions. 

LignoSat was developed by Kyoto University in collaboration with the logging company Sumitomo Forestry. According to a Reuters report, the palm-sized satellite will be flown to the International Space Station on a SpaceX mission and later released into orbit about 400 km above the Earth. The satellite is tasked with demonstrating the cosmic potential of the renewable material. Researchers say that LignoSat was made of magnolia wood and can withstand the hostile space environment. 

It is worth mentioning that the satellite is developed using a traditional Japanese crafts technique without screws or glue. Once deployed, the satellite will stay in the orbit for six months, with the electronic components onboard measuring how wood endures the extreme environment of space, reported Reuters. "With timber, a material we can produce by ourselves, we will be able to build houses, live and work in space forever," said Takao Doi, an astronaut who studies human space activities at Kyoto University.