The world’s first wooden satellite, LignoSat, has launched successfully on a SpaceX rocket, Japanese developers from Kyoto University announced Tuesday. This experimental satellite is part of a resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS) and could pioneer environmentally friendly satellite technology.
Scientists hope LignoSat will safely burn up on re-entry, avoiding the metal particles typically released when satellites return to Earth’s atmosphere.
Constructed from wood, the small, cube-shaped satellite measures only 10 centimetres per side and will remain in a special container until it’s released into space in about a month.
Data from LignoSat will help researchers assess how well wooden materials withstand the harsh conditions of space, including drastic temperature changes. Kyoto University professor and astronaut Takao Doi has said that non-metallic satellites may be the future of space exploration.