The first-ever wood-paneled satellite has been launched to explore the viability of timber as a sustainable material for future space missions, potentially to the Moon and Mars.
Developed by Japanese researchers, the small 900-gram satellite is bound for the International Space Station aboard a SpaceX mission, from where it will be deployed into Earth’s orbit.
Dubbed LignoSat, derived from the Latin for wood, the satellite features panels crafted from magnolia wood, using a traditional technique without screws or glue.
Kyoto University scientists behind the project envision that wood could one day replace some metals used in space exploration.
“Wood is more durable in space than on Earth since there’s no water or oxygen to rot or ignite it,” noted Professor Koji Murata from Kyoto University, referencing early 1900s wooden airplanes as a precedent. “A wooden satellite should be feasible, too,” he added.
The researchers also speculate that, if trees could one day be cultivated on the Moon or Mars, it might become a primary resource for future space colonies.
In addition to its wooden panels, LignoSat includes aluminum components and electronic parts, with sensors to track how the wood responds to space’s harsh environment over its six-month orbit.
Dr. Simeon Barber, a space scientist at the UK’s Open University, clarified that the satellite isn’t entirely made of wood but supported the innovative approach: “The sustainability aspect of wood is compelling, as it’s renewable,” he told the media.
He highlighted that using wood as a resource in new environments is a historic approach, pointing out that wood has previously been used on spacecraft—cork, for example, is part of some re-entry shields to protect vessels as they return to Earth’s atmosphere.
Russian and Soviet lunar missions also utilized cork to stabilize their rovers during descent.
However, Dr. Barber cautioned about its unpredictable properties: “From an engineering standpoint, it’s a challenging material due to variability in strength, making it unsuitable for critical spacecraft components.”
Researchers at Kyoto University hope that wooden spacecraft could burn up more cleanly on re-entry, thus potentially creating less pollution than metal-based satellites.
The space industry faces pressure over the environmental impact of rising spacecraft and satellite launches, with concerns about space debris falling back to Earth.
While Dr. Barber acknowledged that materials like wood could reduce certain contaminants, he remains skeptical, noting, “You may end up needing to carry more material initially just to ensure it burns up safely on re-entry.”
