Japan Launches First Wood-Panelled Satellite, Testing Timber's Potential in Space

Japan has launched the world’s first wood-panelled satellite, LignoSat, designed to explore wood's viability as a sustainable building material for future space missions to the Moon and Mars. Developed by Kyoto University researchers, the satellite, weighing only 900g, was launched on a SpaceX mission to the International Space Station, where it will then enter orbit to observe how magnolia wood withstands space’s harsh conditions.

The wood-panelled, solar-powered satellite will orbit Earth for six months

LignoSat combines wood panels with traditional aluminum structures and will orbit Earth for six months, equipped with sensors to monitor its response to space. According to Professor Koji Murata of Kyoto University, wood proves durable in space without the decay threats of water and oxygen present on Earth, making it a potential alternative to metals in space exploration. Murata notes, "Early airplanes used wood; a wooden satellite could work too."

If trees could someday be grown on the Moon or Mars, wood could also be used to construct habitats, envisioning a sustainable future for interplanetary exploration. While not fully made of wood, LignoSat brings a fresh approach to sustainable spacecraft design.

Dr. Simeon Barber, a space scientist from the Open University in the UK, expressed interest in this approach, highlighting that wood’s renewable qualities are ideal for a low-pollution material that could burn up cleanly during re-entry, potentially addressing the growing space debris problem. Barber noted that while wood’s unpredictable properties pose engineering challenges, it remains a compelling concept for future sustainable missions.