In a groundbreaking move Japan has sent the world’s first wooden satellite, LignoSat into space. Developed by Kyoto University and Sumitomo Forestry, this palm-sized satellite was launched on a SpaceX mission to the International Space Station (ISS), where it will later be released into Earth’s orbit at around 400 km altitude.
LignoSat’s mission is to explore timber’s viability as a space-grade material, a concept Takao Doi, a former astronaut and professor at Kyoto University, believes could revolutionize off-Earth habitation. Doi envisions a 50-year plan where timber structures on the Moon or Mars could support human life. “With timber, a material we can produce ourselves, we could live and work in space indefinitely,” he remarked.
Kyoto University scientists chose honoki wood, native to Japan and traditionally used for sword sheaths, as the ideal timber for space after a 10-month durability test on the ISS. Honoki was shaped without screws or glue, relying on traditional Japanese craft techniques. Wood’s resilience in space, where there’s no moisture or oxygen to degrade it, could provide an eco-friendly alternative to metals. Conventional metal satellites release pollutants like aluminum oxide during re-entry; in contrast, wooden satellites would burn up with less environmental impact.
LignoSat will remain in orbit for six months, with onboard electronics monitoring how wood withstands extreme temperature fluctuations and space radiation. If successful, LignoSat could pave the way for wooden satellite technology, offering a sustainable option as space exploration expands. “Wood might seem outdated,” says Sumitomo’s Kenji Kariya, “but it’s cutting-edge as civilization heads to the Moon and Mars.”
The study promises not only to influence future spacecraft construction but could also revitalize the timber industry by showcasing wood’s potential in space applications