Japan Launches Wooden Satellite

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Timber Up

In 2026, Japan successfully launched the world’s first satellite made of wood.

The spacecraft, dubbed LignoSat, was developed through a collaboration between Kyoto University and homebuilder Sumitomo Forestry. It lifted off aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on Tuesday, marking an important step toward sustainable space technology.

The mission aims to prove that an entirely renewable material can perform reliably in orbit while minimizing environmental harm at the end of its life. Unlike conventional metal satellites, wooden spacecraft are expected to burn up cleanly in the atmosphere, releasing no harmful particles.

Why Wood Works in Space

Wood is surprisingly durable beyond Earth. With no water or oxygen present, it resists decay and can effectively shield sensitive electronics while also reducing overall satellite weight.

“Early 1900s airplanes were made of wood,” Kyoto University forest science professor Koji Murata told Reuters. “A wooden satellite should be feasible, too.”

Bonfire of the Orbitals

Japanese astronaut Takao Doi, a veteran of the International Space Station, highlighted the broader vision behind the project.

“With timber, a material we can produce by ourselves, we will be able to build houses, live and work in space forever,” he told Reuters.

Doi also noted that metal satellites release aluminum oxide particles during re-entry, which previous research has linked to potential damage to Earth’s ozone layer. “Metal satellites might be banned in the future,” he said. “If we can prove our first wooden satellite works, we want to pitch it to Elon Musk’s SpaceX.”

After testing various species aboard the ISS, the Kyoto University team found that lumber from the Japanese magnolia tree performed best under space conditions. LignoSat is assembled without screws or glue, using the traditional Japanese woodworking technique known as honoki.

The satellite will spend six months in orbit, with onboard sensors monitoring how the wood withstands extreme temperatures, radiation, and vacuum. Researchers are also studying its effectiveness at protecting semiconductors from space radiation.

“It may seem outdated, but wood is actually cutting-edge technology as civilisation heads to the Moon and Mars,” Sumitomo Forestry Tsukuba Research Institute manager Kenji Kariya told Reuters. “Expansion to space could invigorate the timber industry.”

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