Japan Launches World's First Wooden Satellite

On November 5, 2024, Japanese engineers from Kyoto University and Sumitomo Forestry sent LignoSat, the globe’s first wooden satellite, into space aboard a SpaceX Dragon cargo capsule to the ISS. Crafted from honoki wood using traditional Japanese techniques, this 10cm cube weighs 2 pounds and aims to prove that wood can endure space’s extreme conditions.

LignoSat will orbit for six months, testing wood’s resilience against temperature swings and radiation, while promising a greener footprint by reducing space debris. Led by Takao Doi, the project could inspire sustainable space habitats on the Moon and Mars within decades.