Japan Launches First Wooden Satellite into Space on SpaceX Rockets, Marking a Revolution in Environmental Sustainability

Researchers from Japan have created the world’s first wooden satellite, a tiny cuboid craft that is set to be launched on a SpaceX rocket in September. The experimental satellite, developed by scientists at Kyoto University and Sumitomo Forestry, measures just 10 centimetres (four inches) on each side. The creators expect the wooden material to burn up completely upon re-entering the atmosphere, potentially avoiding the generation of harmful metal particles typically produced by retired satellites.

The developers believe that satellites made from non-metal materials should become more common to reduce the environmental impact and potential harm to telecommunications. Takao Doi, an astronaut and special professor at Kyoto University, expressed this sentiment during a press conference announcing the completion of the satellite. The team plans to hand over the satellite, named LignoSat and made from magnolia wood, to Japan’s space agency JAXA next week. It will be sent into space on a SpaceX rocket from the Kennedy Space Center, heading towards the International Space Station (ISS).

Meanwhile, another rocket carrying another satellite developed as a collaboration between the European Space Agency (ESA) and JAXA launched from California on a mission to study the role of clouds in combating climate change. The EarthCARE satellite will orbit the Earth at a height of nearly 400 kilometres (250 miles) for three years. Once at the ISS, LignoSat will be released from the Japanese experiment module to undergo tests for strength and durability. Data collected from